Along came Harry
by Loufiction
Summary: Chapter 15 is up ! A 25 years old Hermione is returning to Hogwarts as a teacher. She's happy to find that some of her friends are there as well. Even this dearest friend called Harry Potter.
1. Default Chapter

All right. This is my first ever Harry Potter fanfiction. Got the idea this morning at work and couldn't concentrate on it until I wrote that down.  
  
It may take so time before I update because I'm quite busy right now and I'm the kind of person that writes bad things when pressed to update (not that I'm implying what I wrote is good :p).  
  
Anyway, please read and review.  
  
Oh and since I'm French there may have a couple of mistakes from time to time. Sorry for that.  
  
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25. I turned 25 yesterday. It's been so long since I left Hogwarts. So long since I left my friends. Well of course I kept in touch with them. Back to that time, we were told to be inseparable. Things tend to change when you're not around. We all choose separate paths to complete our education, to be able to get the job of our life after graduation.  
  
In the end of 7th year took place the final battle against Voldemort. The prophecy was right. One of them had to die. It has been a benediction to the whole magic world when The Dark Lord died. It was a well-deserved revenge for Harry. Avenging his parents was of course what gave him the courage and the strength to use the ultimate unforgivable spell towards Voldemort. But in the end, was it a benediction to Harry?  
  
He spent half of his life being under the spotlights and has always felt awkward with it. He was not at all ready to deal with being THE spotlight of a whole world.  
  
At first he thought the whole thing would calm down sooner or later and took it easy. After a while it really started to get on his nerves and he started to rethink it all.  
  
Being famous Harry Potter was more unbearable than ever now. That is why he decided to leave England for what he thought would be a nice little village somewhere in Europe, far away from all that stuff. His only mistake was that he did not take into account the international aspect of his history. Every single magical soul on this planet knew famous Harry Potter.  
  
He quickly realized he won't be able to avoid it and decided to go back home and learn to deal with it. When he came back, he received a letter from the Ministry of Magic proposing him an Auror training.  
  
Ron was now a professional keeper in a Welsh team, the Fuming Dragons. He too was part of the final battle against Voldemort. He tried to protect his best friend, but Harry had not let him get involved with his dual with Voldemort.  
  
Back then Ron thought about what he could do to help Harry. The best he could do was starting to fight the death eaters as hard as he could. He quickly got involved in a dual with Lucius Malfoy. He would have been soon overwhelmed but was then helped by nobody else than Draco.  
  
After his father had been taken to Azkaban, Draco came to a realization. Lots of things had been hidden to him. He suddenly looked more closely at his father's little business and decided to make a total turn in his attitude when he understood that his father had casted an imperious spell on his mother amongst other things. He did not join Harry to kill Voldemort; he joined the team to have revenge on his father.  
  
Right after graduation, Ron made several try-outs to get picked by a professional Quidditch team. Of course he tried at the Chudley Cannons but never get picked. He then started his professional carrier as a reserve keeper for the Fuming Dragons and got to play a few games during his first year. On the second year he became famous for avoiding a huge goal from his favourite player from the Chuldey Cannons. He even got to play against Oliver Wood who was playing in the Sky Rockets of Birmingham. After another year of having fun, he suddenly realized that playing Quidditch was not what he wanted to do his whole life. That may have something to do with his engagement with Lavender Brown.  
  
She became one of the most successful fashion creators in the magical world. Her dresses were famous from Diagon Alley to Beauxbatons going through America and any Asian city. The manager of Ron's team contacted her to create news robes for them and that's how she got to meet Ron again. She was no longer the gossip and foolish girl she used to be. Being that successful with her business required a lot of serious from her. She even found some evening classes for Ron when he told her he wanted to get another job. After another year like that, the Ministry of Magical Sports as the junior coordinator of the English Quidditch team hired him. He was in charge of every single trip the England national team was doing for international games for instance.  
  
As for me, I took as well several paths after graduation. As Harry did, I started with a well-deserved rest that I spent with lots of travels. I needed to escape this fame as well. Being part of the trio was already a huge thing before the battle. But now, I was known as the girl who killed Belatrix Lestrange. I couldn't stand this woman anyway but still it's such a shock when you realize what you just did. When she fell down she had something in her eyes, something like "oh! I can't believe this stupid little girl got me". It took me several months to get through that killing stuff. I was having my part of fame, of course much less than Harry. At some times when he was really upset about it, I wish I could have taken all this fame with me, easing him. But it was not possible. Poor Harry had to deal with it alone.  
  
I spent a whole year travelling from place to place, from a country to another. Discovering such beautiful cities and sights I only knew from books made me realized that the real life was way better than just reading it. Well I'm still very found of books. I'm still reading a lot. I'm even writing the new edition of "Hogwarts a History" as Harry and Ron advised me to do so many times to tease me. Some things never change.  
  
When I came back, I started to go to college. As always, I couldn't make a choice between so many interesting subjects. My major was Charms but I took Arithmancy as one of my minors, together with Potions. It took me 4 years to get my degree and I have to say those years were good, but would never be able to be as good as my Hogwarts years. After I graduated from college, I decided to apply for a muggle college.  
  
I had to make a huge application to the Magical Education Ministry for them to give me a paper stating that I graduated from a muggle English University in Oxford. Studying in a muggle college after I was done with my magical studies had always been a promise I made to myself. My parents were very encouraging about it. And proud I have to say. I applied abroad.  
  
I had already spent one year studying when an owl brought me a letter from Hogwarts. It stated that the Charms teacher was to be replaced and I was offered the position. How could I have turned down this proposition? It remembered me when I received my letter telling me I was a witch and that I had been accepted to Hogwarts. My only objection was that I wanted to finish my degree in Paris before. They gladly accepted.  
  
Headmistress Mac Gonagall is waiting me tomorrow. She took Dumbledore's position after he decided to take a very well deserved retirement. A few of my friends were working at Hogwarts. Neville was the Herbology teacher and Ginny was the new nurse. I can't wait to be there. It will bring such good memories! I'm feeling strange actually. One moment I'm so happy to go back there, and right after I'm scared? Will it be the same Hogwarts I left? It holds such dear memories within its walls that I'm afraid I might be a little disappointed. I was 18 when I left. I turned 25 yesterday. 


	2. Back to Hogwarts

All right, as promised, here's the next chapter. I hope you'll like it as well.  
  
Please, read and review!!  
  
This still is on Hermione's point of view by the way.  
  
Next chapter will be as soon as I can.  
  
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As usual when it comes to important matters, she woke up before her alarm clock could even ring. She kept this habit of using an alarm clock from her muggle college years. She was not allowed to use any magical stuff back then, especially not spells. She got to get used to muggle life again. Funny how hard it was when you think she was muggle born. Simple things like drying her hair or unlocking a door had to be made the muggle way. Smiling, she took her wand and casted a spell to stop the alarm clock ringing for the second time. She was back in the magical world now.  
  
She had packed the day before in a sudden surge of anticipation. Actually, she did not remember feeling both that exited and that scared when she left France to come back in England to her family. It was quite close to what she felt when her parents drove her to King's Cross Station, towards this once mysterious platform 9 3/4. She remembered that even before setting foot in Hogwarts she had already read "Hogwarts an History" and a good deal of her schoolbooks. She had quickly gained her bookworm status during the first few week of her first year. It never left her. She never really complained about it although it was deeply hurting her. She had never thought of herself like being popular or cute. Her only way of showing herself was being smart, getting good marks, passing all exams with honours. As years went on she realized it was not the best way to get some attention from the others. It was even worst maybe. Some people hated her, calling her names like "bookworm" or "know it all". Truth is she never got to actually use her academic skills so far. Well if you make exception of the battle against Voldemort where some spells and charms she knew got useful. But that was it. Now was her chance to use them, for real.  
  
Her father had teased her when she told her parents about the position Hogwarts was offering her. He told her it was the best position she could get since she seemed to never want to stop her studies. That was true, but low. She somehow wasn't quite happy with what he said, even if he was joking around. Anyway she won't be studying, she'll be teaching! Not that far away from one another though. That was the only negative point she was seeing in the whole situation.  
  
She had been asked to arrive one week before the students. That way she'll be able to get used to her new responsibilities. She will have enough time to check her schedule and prepare her organization regarding the lessons she was going to give. She'll have time to get used to Hogwarts again. Not that that was the most difficult part though. She'll be able to visit it and relive some of her best memories, the worst as well ...  
  
She wanted to go there by train using the Hogwarts Express like she did for 7 years. Bas luck though for when you were living from King's Cross, the effects used to hide it from the muggles where to expensive. That trip was reserved to the Hogwarts students and professors only on September 1st. She was nevertheless allowed to go to platform 9 and ¾ to use a portkey leading her to Hogsmeade. Then she'll be able to catch the Hogwarts Express until it's final destination.  
  
Her trunk had been taken care of earlier this morning. She just had to put some floo powder on it and cast a kind of timer spell over it together with the exact destination. At the given time, the fire would start and the trunk would be taken to its destination, which was Hogwarts' train station. That would have been easier to make it apparate inside of Hogwarts' grounds but it was impossible as she remembered Ron and Harry so many times.  
  
She was finished with her preparations when she heard her taxi pulling on the side of the street, waiting for her. She had ordered it the evening before. The taxi was supposed to drive her close enough to Diagon Alley where she needed to buy a few things. She took her purse and a bag and closed the door as if closing a door on her past life.  
  
It was quite exiting to go back to Diagon Alley after being abroad during two years. Her first stop was, of course, for the bookstore. She wanted to get a look on the latest editions of charms books. Of course, Hogwarts library was full of it and she was given an exhaustive listing of them all, but she wanted to be sure she was not missing anything written about this precise subject. When she was done, she slowly walked through the book and stopped at the "Harry Potter Section". It was full of books on Harry's life. From the most serious item to the most foolish of them. She even saw one with her picture on it. Man, it was time to get of that store.  
  
She then needed to get new robes. She was currently dressed as a muggle and she was positive she wouldn't have any kind of authority on Hogwarts students dressed that way. The only robes left to her were her 7th Hogwarts year's robe and her Birmingham Magical College's one. She set her choice on two nice robes, classic but very nice. Those would be her teaching robes. Then she bought two others. Those would be for her usual days. She looked at the Hogwarts robes. The saleslady was getting them ready for the back to school rush that would happen any day now. She stared at the Gryffindor ones for a moment and exited the store smiling happily. She walked for a moment in Diagon Alley's streets and spotted a bunch of boys excitedly looking through the window of "Quidditch Quality Supplies". She understood a new broom was the subject of that conversation. She tried to have a better look at it. It was called "Falcon 2004". She smiled again thinking on Harry's face when he got his Nimbus 2000 and then his Firebolt.  
  
It was time for her to go to King's Cross Station. She went to the Portkey Office that was close to the Gringot's Bank and asked for a portkey to platform 9 and ¾. Getting the portkey for Hogsmeade would take her more time so she left Diagon Ally as soon as she got her portkey ready. Hopefully for her, lots of people where asking a portkey for the same destination so it would be quick.  
  
As soon as she arrived in King's Cross, she immediately showed her portkey form for Hogsmeade to the clerk and he gave her a bracelet that would lighten when the portkey will be ready. A matter of 30 minutes assured the clerk. That would give her enough time to change in one of her new robes. She made her way towards the ladies room and changed there as quickly as she could. As she exited, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Now dressed with her robes, she definitely was looking like a witch. Hell, she WAS a witch. She put her wand in the special pocket in her robes and looked again at her reflection. Now she fully was back in the magical world. She then returned to earth as the bracelet was lightening and went to the clerk. He gestured her where was her portkey area and gave her the exact time for her to grab the portkey. She grabbed it at the given time and quickly was transported to Hogsmeade.  
  
She knew she had some time to spare because she had checked the train's schedule in King's Cross station so she decided to visit George and Fred's shop to surprise them. She entered the store as quietly as she could hoping to see them somewhere inside but she couldn't get a look at them because it was so full of people. Soon to be Hogwarts students she guessed. She'll have to ask Fred and George about their latest creation if she wanted to have a chance with having authority with her classes. Lots of people were not speaking English and she was catching a few words of German there and some Italian over there with some French behind her. She knew they were very successful. They even opened a second store in Diagon Alley two years ago. Now while she was in France, she heard they were planning on opening another one near Beauxbatons. A new success for sure. Jokes and fun are international. She was desperately looking for a known face when someone called her.  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"Ginny!!"  
  
The two friends hugged smiling, there were now two years they had not seen each other.  
  
"George and Fred are gonna be so happy to see you!"  
  
"I bet, where are they?"  
  
"There're in Paris right now, they're checking on international trading laws to open their new store."  
  
"George and Fred, checking laws. Man now I can say I've seen everything on earth!"  
  
"That's the key of success I guess. They'll be back here tonight though, travelling by portkeys makes it very quick."  
  
"Oh don't tell them I want to surprise them!"  
  
"All right. I won't tell. But you have to tell me everything about Paris."  
  
"There are so many things to tell I don't know where to start."  
  
"Well I'll tell you what. I have to keep an eye on the store while the twins aren't here but since they're coming back tonight, we'll have dinner and you'll tell me everything, ok?"  
  
"Deal!"  
  
Then Hermione left the store and made her way to Hogsmeade train station. The Hogwarts Express would be soon in station and she couldn't miss it.  
  
As the train was making its way to the castle, Hermione suddenly saw the high towers breaking through the clouds. She felt a surge of happiness within her heart. When the train stopped and when she exited it, she was nearly expecting Hagrid to be welcoming a whole bunch of scared first years leading them to the lack. She stayed helpless for a few minutes not knowing what to do exactly. There was always someone to greet her at the Hogwarts train station. She was all by herself today. She then took her bag and made her way to the castle, a little disappointed. Maybe the owl she sent lost her way to Hogwarts?  
  
On her way to the castle, Hogwarts smells were coming back to her nose. There was this particular tree smell, which was so fresh, and when she was closer to the gates of the castle she was able to smell Hogwarts' kitchens smell. The house elves where certainly working hard to prepare lunch. Just before entering the castle, she stopped and turned around to get a look at the landscape she admired so many times on her Hogwarts years.  
  
They say home is where the heart is ...  
  
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So? Please, review!!!! 


	3. Discovering

Hi there !  
  
I'm sorry it took me so long to update but I've been very busy these past days.  
  
Anyway, here's the next chapter !  
  
Thanks to all my reviewers ! You guys are great.  
  
Back to the story !!!  
  
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The gates opened automaticaly when she came close enough to them. Actually, she wasn't minding anymore not having been picked up at the train station. Her walk through the hills gave her enough time to adjust to her new job.  
  
She was greated by Hagrid as the big doors opened. He seemed happy to see her.  
  
"Blimey Hermione, thought ya arrive tamorrow!"  
  
"It's ok Hagrid, I had a very nice walk." She reassured him.  
  
"I'll show ya your apartment, the Headmistress ain't here today."  
  
"Alright then."  
  
She followed him on the Hogwarts grounds. She saw his little house and she was nearly expecting Harry and Ron coming from the door running to great her back. It was pretty strange to see Hogwarts with no student to be seen around. Even during the holidays, when most of the students were going home, Hogwarts wass not that empty. Hermione smiled thinking of Filtch. She was sure he was happy there with no student to chase around. Or was he missing it?  
  
It was quite funny thinking back of it. She was nearly feeling the need to touche the old walls as if proving to herself she was actually back. How many memories were they holding? As she was followinf Hagrid, she came across the library. She would have stopped if Hagrid weren't continuing his way to her apartment. Anyway she'll have time to come back. He finally stopped at the top of a tower and gave her a key.  
  
"Hermione, this is the key to your apartment. Although I'd like to introduce you with Lady Fiona. She'll be keeping an eye on your door. She'll give you your password.  
  
"Hello Lady Fiona" said Hermione.  
  
"Oh then you're the new Charms teacher? I heard loads on you. One of my dear friends is keeping the Gryfingor's commun room you know. I'm very proud of being your door keeper Miss Granger."  
  
"Oh please, just call me Hermione."  
  
"Hermione, I have to go back to me house, I'll see you later" said Hagrid.  
  
"Alright young lady, what would you like your password to be?" asked Lady Fiona.  
  
Hermione thought for a moment and said : "Harry Potter"  
  
"Well not very difficult to find I would say. Anything else?"  
  
"No, this one will definitely do fine."  
  
"Harry Potter it is then."  
  
As the door opened, Hermione got to get a first glimpse on it. She stopped on the threshold to have a better look at it. There were several rooms. The entry door garded by Lady Fiona was opening on a small but cosy living room. There was a little coffee table and a sofa just behind it. On the other side of the coffee table were two very confortable looking armchairs. They seemed to be so deep that Hermione was wondering wethever she'd be able to get out of it if she'll sit on it. There was also a small table close to the armchairs. That would have looked like a tv table in the muggle world.  
  
Looking on the other side of this room, there was a table with about 6 chairs around. Hermione smiled at this. In the middle of the room was a fireplace. Quite odd to put it right in the middle though, but very nice. She'll be able to see the fire from whatever place she'll be in the room. Discovering her apartment, she made her way towards one door and opened it. It was her office. There was a huge desk with a very confortable chair. The shelves were full of books and she quickly looked through the titles. Then she turned to examine her desk.  
  
"Hogwarts a History" was left in evidence on it. She took it and couldn't resist the surge she felt to open it. On the first page was a message from Albus Dumbledore. The ex headmaster of Hogwarts had left his responsabilities a few years ago, earning a well deserved retirement. He was now said to be travelling the world with his phoenix looking for new spells and charms.  
  
Looking through the windows of her office, Hermione was able to see the Quidditch pitch and beyond that was the Forbidden Forest. She'll be able to make a good work in here. Everything was very cosy, from the chair to the carpet that were so deep she felt she was entering it. Thanks to the huge windows, the office was very bright which was quite unusual for Hogwarts. The walls were very pale with a creamy color.  
  
She then left her office and went back to the living room to discover what was behind the second door she saw earlier. She guessed it was her bedroom and was right. It was so beautiful it nearly took her breath away. The bed was king size for a start. On each side of it was a little bed table on which was a shining bed light. Getting closer to it, Hermione noticed it was indeed shining little fairies that were reunited like clusters. They were kinda scared when she approached them and then they formed a message for her. It spelled : "Welcome Hermione!"  
  
She smiled at it wondering who could have done that. Then she looked at her bedroom more closely. On the left of the bed was a door leading to her dressing room. It was large enough for a whole family. Then one the right of the bed was a door certainly leading to her bathroom. She entered it and discovered she had both a shower and a bathtub. Or was it a swimming pool? It was so huge! There was a very good smell there and she wondered what was generating it. A spell was certainly the answer. It was smelling like lilies and she liked it very much. She went back to her bedroom and was very happy to see there was a balcony. She opened the French windows and went on it. It was exposed to the Lake.  
  
She then went back to her living room and froze on the door. There, just on the left of her office was a third door. She was absolutely positive that door wasn't there when she came in the room in the first place. What was that trick? She went close to it and opened it. She was very surprised to see it was leading to a garden. A garden? Inside of the castle??? She had heard numerous tales about mysterious doors in the castle during her seven years here as a student. But it was the first time it was really happening to her. She wondered a few minutes about what to do. Talking about mysterious doors tales, she now remembered about that tale of the boy who got emprisonned one full night in a secret room he found out with a certain mysterious door that appeared. She looked at the garden. There was a litle wood on one side and lots of flowers and even some water. In the middle was a little bench. She considered the situation and tried to enter the garden not really leaving the door. Her reason then got the better of herself and she closed the door. She needed to get ready to go to Hogsmead and she had to unpack anyway.  
  
She spent two hours to unpack her trunck feeling more and more at home as she was putting her belingings everywhere in the apartment. When she was done, she started to run the water in her bathtub and put some perfumed liquid to male bubbles. She choose nice green robes and then plounged in her bathtub.  
  
Half an hour later she was ready. She made her way to Hagrid's house to ask him if he wanted to come with her but he said he could not as he was waiting for a very special delivery for his Care About Magical Creatures class.  
  
Hermione went to the train station and arrived very early to Hogsmeade. She decided to do a little bit of shopping. She was granted most of her supplies by Hogwarts but she needed to open a teacher account at "Ink Quills and Parchments' Paradise". That account included an accurate day to day refill of ink, quill and parchment. That simply meant she won't have to come and get new stuff during the whole year. Implying she will never get short of those three supplies. Her ink bottle would be magically filled whenever it would come close to be empty. Same for her quill that would be repaired as soon as broken. She'll have a dozen parchments as soon as she'll take the last one. Pretty useful for a teacher. That would be very useful for students as well she thought. She just needed to provide a few details to the witch that greated her. Colors of the inks she'll be using during the year, quality of the quills she wanted to use and a quick check on her personalized parchments. They were stating "Miss Hermione Granger – Hogwarts Charms Teacher". That was impressing. She was of course granted plain parchment as well.  
  
She exited the shop and made her way towards the twins' shop hoping she was not arriving too early. She couldn't believe how successful those two had become. There were as many customers as when she left the store earlier. Well of course, they were a living Hogwarts legend to any joking student. Filtch was still fuming at them. Even if they had quit Hogwarts a few years ago, they were still tricking him, by procuration of course, but still. Filtch recognizd the Weasley's touch. Lots of Hogwarts students were buying their jokinf stuff at the twins'store.  
  
This month's best seller was a potion that was enabling anybody to sleep a few minutes while acting as if normal. Opened eyes and all. That made Hermione frown. That was way too much. How could she manage her class with that kind of stuff? Loads of students would be buying it. Not serious at all! How could they manage the charms she'll be teaching them if they were sleeping during her class? She took a little bottle and decided to buy it to check the potion and find a counter curse. She have to talk to those Weasley twins tonight!  
  
She made her way towards the counter to pay her little bottle and she saw a very agitated Ginny soon to be overwhelmed by a whole bunch of young people. She quickly stepped behind the counter and started to help Ginny. A Hogwarts teacher selling joking items, spells and potions? Tsk tsk !!!  
  
One hour later the shop was empty and there were only two very tired young ladies left, sitting on two chairs behind the counter.  
  
"Thank you so much for your help Hermione, I thought those little demons will have me dead!"  
  
"You're welcome Ginny. Plus that was interesting. I got to have a good look at all the jokes they'll be trying on me or on their fellow students during the year."  
  
Ginny started to laugh at that.  
  
"Hermione dear, Fred and George are way too inventive for you. You'll never be up to date. I'll try to do so when I arrived as the new nurse. I was working on counter curse to take care of the poor kid being tricked. Usually they're telling me how to do. They never do a new trick without having the antidote now."  
  
"That's a realy family business. You should quit Hogwarts and open your counter curse shop" said a very amused Hermione.  
  
"Yeah right! I'll be selling the antidotes and I'll get as rich as them. Now that's an idea!" said an equally amused Ginny.  
  
"So where are we going tonight?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Well we have to meet at that new restaurant Luna opened last year."  
  
"Luna? That's going to look like a Hogwarts reunion." Joked Hermione.  
  
"Oh you bet" thought Ginny mischievously smiling.  
  
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So? I promise, Harry will be here next chapter !!!  
  
Please read and review!! I want to know what you're thinking of it.  
  
Constructive criticism is welcomed. 


	4. Surprise Surprise

Alright, this chapter may be a little shorter than usual bu I wanted to update for you guys!  
  
Thanks for all of your reviews !! That is really great and encouraging for me.  
  
On with the story now ...  
  
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As they arrived at the restaurant, Hermione looked closely at the setting. That always was an important point for her when it comes to chose a restaurant. That may sounds stupid but for her it was a good part of the success or not of a dinner or a lunch.  
  
The restaurant was very muggle like. Since Voldemort had been defeated, there was this mode about muggle like things. Mr. Weasley was very pleased with that of course, even more when he had been promoted Muggle Affairs Minister. The Weasleys' life drastically changed, for the better. Of course, all the Weasley kids were working now, but still, it was a great improvment in their "all-day life".  
  
As she entered the restaurant, Hermione was first attracted by the little lights finely set on each table. It was giving the whole room a very nice reddish shadow. Quite beautiful and intimate. Perfect for dates she thought smiling to herself. As she heard Ginny laughing, she turned back her attention towards her friend and looked at the table Ginny was showing her.  
  
"Surprise!" she said.  
  
"So I see we're awaited" smiled Hermione.  
  
At the huge table that seemed to be reserved to a Hogwarts reunion, were sitting all of her friends. A broadly smiling Harry stood up to welcome her. She smiled equally and smiled even more as he hugged her.  
  
"That's so good to see you again Mione" he said.  
  
"Same here" she answered.  
  
"Now here's my favorite bossy best friend" said a joking Ron.  
  
"Ron! I missed you so much Quidditch star." Said Hermione while hugging her other best friend.  
  
"How are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Quite well, I'm preparing the junior Quidditch World Cup at the moment. I'll be aroung Hogwarts during the first term to check on the teams. I may pick up a few of them in the England team." He said.  
  
"That would be great! Too bad there weren't any junior World Cup during our Hogwarts years though, you two would have been picked for sure." Said Hermione to her friends.  
  
"Well we'll never know." Said Ron. "But I'm sure I would have made a hell of a good keeper."  
  
Hermione laughed at that "Ron, you're still the same modest person."  
  
Lavender approached and took Ron's arm. "Come on you guys, everybody's waiting for you, don't stay apart like that.  
  
"Hey Lavender," said Hermione, "I've seen your new collection in Diagon Alley, it's gonna be a new hit if you ask me."  
  
"Thanks Hermione" said a very proud Lavender.  
  
Then they all made their way towards the table and they ordered their dinner. Fred and George were showing their latest jokes and Hermione was trying to have a closer look to them. Ginny laughed at that and warned Fred and George "Hey guys, Hermione declared an open war towards your jokes."  
  
"Oh you do?" asked George smiling.  
  
"Well as long as they don't disturb my lessons, I have absolutely nothing against them" she answered.  
  
The dinner went on in a very good atmosphere, everybody joking around ans telling old stories of their Hogwarts years. Hermione was very happy to be there. She belonged to this group of friends and she had not realized how much she had missed them during all those years.  
  
They all started to talk about their achievments and new jobs. Neville was the new Herbology teacher at Hogwarts and he was quite found of Luna. Hermione could say so by the looks he was giving to her. It seemed it was quite reciprocal she decided after having studied Luna for a few minutes. Quite odd when she remembered how Luna fancied Ron during their 5th year.  
  
Dean was working at the Ministry of magical sports and thanks to the muggle like mode, he was in charge of creating the first ever soccer team in the magical world. He was also assisting Ron with his job for the Junior Quidditch World Cup.  
  
Hermione noticed that only Harry had kept quiet about what he had been doing during the past years, and about what he will be doing. She was quite curious about it but did not dare asking him. Then she mentally kicked herself. "Oh come on, he's your best friend after all!"  
  
Then she looked at Harry and asked him the question. He smiled and answered her.  
  
"Well, I won't lie telling you that the past years had been a perfect moment for my to rest. It had been very boring. All those journalists spying my slightest move or word. All those books that were writen on me. But I guess I learned quite well how to manage it all."  
  
"And now, what are you up to?" she asked.  
  
"I guess you can say, we'll see each other a lot this year." He mysteriously said.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked in anticipation.  
  
"Well you know, this certain question we were all wondering every year about a certain teacher position in Hogwarts ..." he continued very innocent.  
  
"No way!!!" answered a very enthousiast Hermione.  
  
"Oh yes way" said Harry.  
  
"Oh my god this is so great Harry, you, being the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!! Snape's gonna be nuts!" she said.  
  
"Well it seemed he had been the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for two years. But after that period, he decided that finally he was more interested in potions." Answered Harry.  
  
"Hello !!!!" said Hermione, "Are we speaking of the same greasy bas tempered old Snape here?" asked Hermione.  
  
"He did, and I was offered the job over the summer." He answered.  
  
"He might have been poisonned?" wondered Hermione all aloud.  
  
"Hey I'm gonna start to think you care more about Snape's decision than about my new job" said an offended like Harry.  
  
"Oh com on Harry." She said smiling.  
  
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Alright, that's all for today. I'm sorry it's short but I wanted to update and I didn't have any more ideas.  
  
Please, read and review, as always, constructive criticism is more than welcomed. 


	5. Stupid Door

Alright  
  
I apology for not having post anything last week but I had this review on one other of my fanfictions telling me that my English was full of spelling, grammar and syntax mistakes ... So I wanted to make the best checking I was able to do on it before to post anything else. I do hope there is not such a problem with this fanfiction, please do tell me if there are too many mistakes.  
  
I may have told you once but I don't have any beta reader and English is not my mother tongue so I guess it's quite logical that I'm doing mistakes. I don't like reading stories full of mistakes and I was kind of disappointed that I could have post stories that could have bothered someone to that point (I mean posting such a review). Review which by the way was full of mistakes as well ...  
  
I might be French but I can see them anyway. There is this say in France stating "Do as I say but not as I do." I guess it says it all ....  
  
Now back with the story ....  
  
Ally : y'a une réplique x-filienne rien que pour toi :p  
  
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The evening was uneventful. Harry was relieved no one questioned him about defeating Voldemort. Truth be told, they were more or less all there when it happened. The most part of the people sharing his table were former members of the Dumbledore Army. They knew what had happened and were friends of Harry, not friends of Harry-that-killed-Voldemort.  
  
At the end of the evening, Neville, Ginny, Harry and Hermione went back to the Hogsmeade train station and waited for the late train to go back to Hogwarts. When the train arrived and stopped at the station, they all climbed inside of it and opened the door of one of the numerous empty compartments that were available. That was a change for as far as they could remember, each time they had took the Hogwarts Express, they had to look for an empty compartment for a while before being able to sit down and relax.  
  
Hermione was starting to feel tired and longed to be in her bed to have a nice sleep. It had been a very long day and she wanted to start to plan her schedule the day tomorrow. She'll need a good start to plan her lessons on the best way possible. She wanted it to be perfect. Charms were not known as being the most popular lessons ever and she wanted to change that.  
  
One of her teachers at college was so interesting that even the most stubborn of the students could not help but find his lessons interesting. She wanted to be that kind of teacher, the kind of teacher all the students will be remembering. There was no way she'll be arriving at her first lesson with nothing prepared. She was on charge of the seven years Charms lessons. With the first years, she guessed it will be alright. But what about the older students? She was barely a few years older than them. They would not be a piece of cake. Will she be able to handle them? To interest them to her lessons? Will she be a good teacher? What if they start to make fun of her? She had never been that popular anyway, hadn't she? Well of course, the situation tended to change after she helped Harry to defeat Voldemort. She really needed to make a perfect schedule!  
  
As the train began to stop, they got ready to get off of it. One carriage was waiting for them. As a consequence of their battle against Voldemort, they were now all able to see the once invisible animals that were taking care of the carriages movements. That came to a shock to Hermione as she was not at all ready for that. She was not even close to think that one day she'll be able to see them. Neville and Ginny had experienced that feeling on their first year at Hogwarts as teacher and nurse so they did not notice Hermione's reaction. Harry of course had seen them for years so he was used to it. He notice Hermione's frown however and took her hand in his own trying to cheer her up when she entered the carriage.  
  
"Ugly aren't they?" he joked.  
  
"It's okay Harry." She answered  
  
"I know how strange it is when you're not prepared to see them."  
  
"You're right, I was not expecting to see them at all, but I'm fine, really. It's strange that's all." She said.  
  
"Hermione then looked through the window of the carriage and stared at the beautiful castle that was up the hill. There were lots of lights on. The sight was breathtaking as usual. Beautiful and dramatic at the same time.  
  
"I remember when we arrived on the lake on our first year. I think I don't remember having ever seen such a magnificent sight before." She said.  
  
"Same here." Answered Harry after having followed Hermione's glance on the castle.  
  
"Hogwarts is truly beautiful" she stated with a dreamy voice.  
  
As they arrived, they made their way towards the teachers area. Ginny could go back to her apartment since no student was at the infirmary.  
  
"Harry, when did you arrive at Hogwarts by the way? I did not see you on the train when I arrived" asked Hermione.  
  
"I arrived yesterday evening." He answered.  
  
"Oh then you had today to unpack, you're lucky. I'll do my unpacking tomorrow morning then I'll try to sort my schedule out." Said Hermione.  
  
"Well, ... actually I'm not done with my unpacking." Said Harry with that smile he had each time he asked her if she could help him with his homeworks.  
  
"Harry James Potter! Don't you tell me you spend the whole day walking in Hogsmeade and waiting for me to help you to unpack!" said Hermione trying to look shocked and angry.  
  
"I was helping Luna to prepare your surprise!" he said pouting.  
  
"Oh come on, no need to puppy-eyed me! I'll help you!" she said.  
  
"Great! See you tomorrow then!" and then he disappeared in some stairs that Hermione had not noticed at first.  
  
"Some things haven't changed a bit I see" said a very amused Ginny.  
  
"Oh come on! I'm over it!" said Hermione with her best I'm-25-I'm-over-it voice.  
  
"Sure. Fine. Whatever." Said Ginny, still very amused by the scene she had just seen. "But I know what I've seen." She silently added to herself.  
  
Then Hermione made her way to her apartment and stopped at the portrait of Lady Fiona. She made sure no one was around and said "Harry Potter" without succeeding to avoid a furious blushing. Lady Fiona smiled at her reaction and winked at her "Told you it wasn't a good idea dear."  
  
"We'll see to that tomorrow." Quickly answered Hermione entering her apartment. "So much for getting over it..." she murmured. "Alright !" she said to herself, "Now I need to rest I have a big day tomorrow!".  
  
After such a day, she actually needed a good sleep. As she put her cloak on a chair, she noticed the mysterious door was there again. Her curiosity got the best of her tiredness and she opened it. Once again she was shocked. Instead of the nice little garden she had seen earlier was a room covered with pillows. It seemed that not a single pillow had the same colour than another one. There was a very calm music, like a lullaby. Hermione blinked to make sure she was not dreaming. But she wasn't. She closed the door, too tired to look for an explanation, and she went straight to her bed. As soon as she laid on it she sighed and stood up again to go to her bathroom to brush her teeth. Then she went back to her bed and did not leave it until the morning.  
  
When she woke up the day after, Hermione saw a beautiful sun coming through her French windows of her balcony. She smiled and stretched her body still in her bed. She looked at her clock and saw it was already 9 a.m. She quickly made her way to her bathroom and started the shower to warm the water while putting of her night gown. When she exited her bathroom, she was only wearing a huge towel around her body together with a smaller one around her hair trying to dry them. She opened her dressing room to chose what she'll be wearing and then went to her office to write a letter to her parents. She wanted to send it by owl first thing this morning to tell them how she was doing so far. When she was done with her letter, she heard her stomach make the kind of noise a stomach does when it needs to be feed. She quickly exited her office and froze. That stupid door was there again. What the hell was it this time? She sighed and opened it. Her eyes nearly pop up her head. There was a prairie with grass and flowers everywhere. She could not even see the end of it. And there was a blanket on it. With some food all over it. She shut the door and made her way to the owls to send her letter. Then she went down to the Great Hall to have breakfast with her friends.  
  
As she entered the Great Hall, she was kind of disorientated. Each time she had entered the huge room, it was to sit with her follow Gryfindors on one of the four endless tables. Now she was expected at the teachers table and that was odd. She was feeling as if she was not allowed there, very out of her place indeed. Luckily enough, her friends quickly joined her and they started to chat happily while eating their breakfast. She was eating some cereals when the thought of that mysterious door came back in her mind.  
  
"Do you guys have anything special in your apartment?" she asked.  
  
"What do you mean "special"?" Neville asked.  
  
"Well I've got this door ... it's not always there, but when it is, it never opens on the same room. It's always a different place." She said.  
  
"What kind of places?" asked a very curious Harry.  
  
"Well, the first time, it was a garden. Yesterday evening it was a room full of pillows and this morning it was a prairie."  
  
"That's very odd indeed." Said Harry.  
  
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Alright that's it. I hope you like it and I hope there are not too many mistakes :'( 


	6. Unpacking with Harry

I'm back! Here's the next chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to update but I've been quite busy (exams and stuff ...).  
  
It's kinda short but I'll try to post something else soon.  
  
Please, do review this chapter (if you could be kind enough not to insult me ... Oh by the way, I do appreciate your courage dear 666, leaving such a nice review and not even daring to leave an email for me to answer ... Bravo ! )  
  
On with the story now ...  
  
-----------------  
  
At the end of breakfast, Hermione followed Harry to his apartment to help him to unpack. Ginny was busy with Neville as they were talking about medical plants that could come to be handy for the infirmary.  
  
As they made their way through Hogwarts, they met Nearly Headless Nick and stopped to have a little chat with him.  
  
"Good Morning Sir Nicolas, greeted Hermione.  
  
"Good morning Miss Granger. Good morning Mister Potter."  
  
"Morning Sir Nicolas," answered Harry.  
  
"So here you are, back to Hogwarts as teachers," he said. "I was on my way to a meeting with the Headmistress. She'll be back any second now. We need to talk about the new Gryffindor's house head."  
  
"Oh I see," said Hermione "I guess we'll see you both at lunch then."  
  
"Yes I think so," answered the ghost.  
  
"Bye Sir Nicolas," said Harry as they resumed their walk to his apartment. Hermione was suddenly very silent while they were climbing the stairs.  
  
"Nuckles for your thoughts," joked Harry.  
  
"Well, I was wondering who will be picked as the new house head of Gryffindor," she said.  
  
"I'd bet it would be you, but we're kinda new as teachers to Hogwarts for that," stated Harry.  
  
"Neville's head of Hufflepuff though," opposed Hermione.  
  
"Yeah but he's been here as a teacher for a couple of years now," said Harry.  
  
"I hope it won't be me," said a nervous Hermione.  
  
"Why would that bother you?" asked an incredulous Harry "Hello, who are you and what have you done to my bossy Miss Responsibility best friend?" he joked.  
  
"Harry was not expecting that at all. What was up with her? He stared at her and noticed how worried she looked. She was biting her lower lip and nervously playing with her hair.  
  
"Really Hermione, I don't get it. As far as I remember you have always been looking for such responsibilities. I have always known you'll end up here teaching. And become a house head would just be the cherry on the top of the cake!"  
  
"Being a good and appreciated teacher would be that cherry on the cake. That's enough for me," said Hermione as she stopped in front of Harry's door.  
  
"Golden Snitch" said Harry.  
  
"Pardon?" asked Hermione.  
  
As the door opened, she understood it was the password to his apartment. The man in the portrait was young and he was dressed as a Quidditch player.  
  
"I see you've been given the perfect guardian to your apartment she joked.  
  
Harry was kind of taken aback by her sudden change of attitude but he was glad she was back on a joking state of mind.  
  
"Yup, lemme introduce you to Daniel Jones, former student of Hogwarts and best Quidditch player of year 1910," said a very proud Harry.  
  
"Wow, now you'll have someone to speak to when you can't find sleep," Hermione teased, "Nice to meet you Daniel," she said.  
  
"As they entered in the main room, Hermione was greeted by boxes everywhere on the floor and a suddenly not so proud Harry.  
  
"So you've started to unpack, uh?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"Sort of," he eluded.  
  
"Boys ..." she sighed.  
  
"Let me show you around first," he proposed as a way to ease the discussion.  
  
"No tricky mysterious door?" she joked again.  
  
"Not a single one so far." He answered while showing her his apartment.  
  
"Oh you've got a balcony as well!" she exclaimed. "But why is your broom here?"  
  
"That's pretty handy when I wanna fly," he said," the balcony's a great place to take off."  
  
"I suppose," she said while coming back to the boxes and examine them. "Alright, let's get started now. Where are you bedroom boxes?"  
  
He looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean bedroom boxes?" he asked.  
  
"Well, you have packed your belongings according to the rooms where they belong didn't you?"  
  
"Not exactly," he started. "I kinda put everything in the boxes like that. I mean I didn't know I had to classify things."  
  
"Right, it's gonna be a long day," Hermione answered. "Okay, what we're going to do is open them and classify the items, and then we'll just have to put them away in the appropriate room. Let's start with this one." She said pointed to the closest box. She took her wand and said "Accio box".  
  
"Harry seemed to recognize it as he quickly blushed and take the box while it was floating. He then quickly made his way to his bedroom saying "All right, I know what's in this box, I'll take care of it."  
  
"See, you're already good at it, "laughed Hermione while opening another box. This one was full of pictures. She knew it wasn't her stuff but she could not help but looking through the album, discovering Harry's memories in the same time. She was watching pictures of her and Ron as well. There were lots of pictures of their Hogwarts years. The best years in Harry's life, before the final battle against Voldemort. She knew he was feeling way better now but he still had some difficulties to deal with it. As she saw pictures of their 7th year and then pictures taken by journalists after he became The Boy Who Killed Voldemort, she could not help but see a huge difference. His look was empty, disappointed, like he was expecting something that didn't happen.  
  
"I was disappointed," he simply stated.  
  
That made Hermione jumped and she furiously blushed while putting back the pictures in the box.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry, I did not meant to ... but ... how do you know what I've just thought? How can you?" she asked.  
  
"Occlumancy lessons, remember? I become pretty good at it after years of training."  
  
"Oh I see," she said unsure of what she should do.


	7. Disappointed ?

Here I am again! I'm sorry you had to wait so long for an update! I hope you'll all like this chapter!  
  
On with the story  
  
"We never really talked about it." Harry simply stated after a moment.  
  
"You mean about defeating Voldemort?"  
  
"Yes. You're the only one that never asked me questions about it in fact." He mused.  
  
"I know. It's just that there never seemed to be a good time to speak about it. I mean ... It was a big deal in your life and I wanted to give you all the time you needed to get over it."  
  
"I understand. And I appreciate it, really. I think I did the same to you about Bellatrix Lestrange."  
  
Hermione's face went very pale. Harry noticed it and took her hands to guide her towards the couch. He gestured his wand to the fireplace and said "Aluminare Fuoco". Then a fire started as if to comfort them.  
  
He then looked at Hermione who was putting her hands tightly on her knees. He didn't know how to start and he would definitely not use his abilities to read her mind. This was going to be a very long due conversation. They were still both very weak about this particular matter and they needed to talk about it with much sensibility.  
  
"I know what a bad person she was, what she did to Neville's parents, to Sirius and to so many other persons. But ... I killed her Harry, I took someone's life. I was not ready for that at all. I had absolutely no right to do so actually!"  
  
"But she owed it! "Harry protested.  
  
"I know, but still... In my mind, I'm no better than she is. She killed people, I killed her. You know, sometimes I'm dreaming about it. I'm having nightmares. I see her family and they're blaming me about Bellatrix's death. And you know, when Ii wake up in the middle of the night after such a nightmare ... I can't go back to sleep very quickly and I have time to think about it. Sometimes, I feel I'm as bad as her. I killed someone as she did."  
  
"I will not let you go on with this total nonsense! You did the exact right thing to do! The whole magical world is still thanking you for that! In fact I would have loved to have done that in your place. To avenge Sirius." Harry interrupted her.  
  
"Harry, the whole magical world is thanking YOU for defeating Voldemort. No one's grateful about what I did." She said.  
  
"I am. You did avenge Sirius! And Neville's parents as well! I truly am thankful" he stated.  
  
"I know you are," she started and then she stopped, "how about you Harry? Why were you disappointed?" she asked.  
  
Harry sighed and seemed to do a little bit of thinking as if trying to sort his thoughts out before talking to Hermione. He was finding his shoes so interesting that he was staring at them as if trying a spell on them. He sighed again.  
  
"It's stupid. It really is." He started.  
  
"Tell me." Hermione gently encouraged him.  
  
"Alright then. I was disappointed because I was kinda expecting something to happen. It's hard to explain, but ... I don't know ... You know I imagined what would happen a lot before that battle. And it always was like the birth of a new world as soon as Voldemort was dead. I was excepting a very good thing to happen as if to balance all the bad things he did."  
  
"But that did happened Harry! You freed the world from an evil person!" Hermione protested.  
  
"I know but I selfishly was waiting for something a little bit more grateful towards me." He simply said, blushing a little.  
  
"Like what?" asked Hermione still not getting his point.  
  
"Like having my parents and Sirius back. I know it's stupid and that there was no way for it to happen. But to me it was like the whole world owed that to me." He stopped and then again found a particular interest in his shoes, then he gave an ironic laugh "Guess I read way too much muggle fairy tales".  
  
"I guess that would have been just fair considering all that was taken away from you." Hermione simply stated. "It's not being selfish at all to hope that. It's just being human."  
  
Harry then looked at Hermione as if he was having a sudden idea. "Do you know a way?" he asked expectantly.  
  
"A way for what?"  
  
"To make them come back." He said.  
  
"Harry, you know very well that if there were such a possibility, someone would have come up with a long time ago. I'm sorry." She said as nicely as she could, not to hurt him any more.  
  
He sighed again and suddenly stood up from the couch.  
  
"Alright, we still have lots of boxes to empty! Let go back to work!"  
  
"Usually I'm the one to hide up behind work" Hermione thought to herself.  
  
"I'm not hiding" he said.  
  
"Harry James Potter! How dare you reading my thoughts again? This is rude!" Hermione exclaimed!  
  
"What is rude? "Asked Ginny that was just entering the apartment to give a hand to the unpacking.  
  
"Nothing" said an amused Harry Potter.  
  
"I see." Said Ginny, so how many boxes are left?" she asked ready to start  
  
"Well we were nearly finished to see in which room they're supposed to go." Said Hermione.  
  
"Ok so let's unpack then" said a very enthusiast Ginny."  
  
"Yep" stated Hermione.  
  
"They went through the boxes during two full hours and then stopped to have a better look at the apartment. When she was done with the latest of the boxes she had to take care of, Hermione stood in the middle of the living room and take a look all around her. She was smiling as she was actually discovering the apartment. She was even noticing things she had unpacked, but she had not enough time to really look at. There was this cute picture of Ron, Harry and her during their seventh year. There was the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup standing over the fireplace. As they had won it a numerous amount of times, Dumbledore had decided to give the whole Gryffindor team a reproduction of the original cup.  
  
"Well now you can call it home, it really looks like something!" said a very proud Hermione.  
  
"Alright ladies, to thank you for your help, we're gonna go to Luna's restaurant tonight, my treat" said Harry.  
  
"Thank you Harry" the two young women said.  
  
Tadam!! Ok I know it's not very long! Please review! 


	8. Nightmare

Right, here I am again ... late, very late, too very late ...  
  
I'm so sorry about it guys! Anyway, here's the next chapter, and I really hope you're going to like it!  
  
Please, read and review, you know how important it is for an author!!!!!  
  
Back to the story now!  
  
Later that day, just before the girls could get prepared for dinner at Luna's restaurant, there was a meeting in Headmistress McGonagall's office. She was not using Professor Dumbledore's office. To her, it would have been like a blaspheme.  
  
The Headmaster's office had remained untouched since his departure, as if everybody in Hogwarts was looking for him to return after some vacations. The password was still the last one he used, it remained unchanged. No one had dared to change it actually. The Hogwarts house-elves were still taking a great care of his office and the apartment he had used over his years in the old school. Actually it really looked like a museum now.  
  
Hermione arrived the last one and take a sit as soon as she entered the room. She looked at her fellow colleagues that were sat around the table. Some of them were her ex-teachers and it was awkward to be here with them, especially teachers as Professor Snape that had been so harsh to her. She was pretty sure he was expecting her to miserably fail her first year as a Hogwarts teacher. She wondered how Harry was reacting to Snape's presence. Of course he knew Snape was still in the Hogwart's staff, but it certainly had been a point to consider before agreeing on taking the DADA teacher position. As for her, she didn't even thought of Snape before taking her decision. But now, she was seriously considering it. What would be her working relations with her ex loathing teacher?   
  
She quickly focused her attention back to the Headmistress who was now starting to talk about who was going to be Head of Gryffindor. 'Please not me, not me she thought, let it be Harry, please please please!!!'  
  
"Hermione, I think you'll be a wonderful head to the Gryffindor's House." Headmistress McGonagall said smiling at her.  
  
'Oh man I'm so gonna fail that,' Hermione thought while giving a weak and forced smile and answering "I'll try my best at it".  
  
'I'm sure you'll be a great Head of House. You did a wonderful job as being Head Girl during your seventh year, we're all confident you'll do just as good now," said McGonagall.  
  
Hermione then looked at Harry as if to apologize to him, thinking he would have been so much better than her, but she found him smiling broadly at her even giving her a thumb up.  
  
"As for Harry, he'll take over the Hogwart's Quidditch team as we're having a Junior International Magical School Championship this year," continued the Headmistress.  
  
"I'm sure Potter will be good at that at least," muttered Snape under his breath.  
  
"Pardon me Severus, "started a mischievous Harry, "I did not get exactly what you said." He innocently said.  
  
"I said I think you'll be great at that," repeated Snape omitting the last part of his previous sentence.  
  
Hermione was looking at them, half amused, half worried. It looked like their mutual dislike was as deep as during their seventh year. But they were now working together and they will have to bear with each other. She then frowned as she remembered the position she was offered. Was she up to it? It was such an honour from the headmistress to give her such a responsibility on her first year of teaching. She really didn't want to disappoint her. She'll have to work extra hard about it. But right now, she only wanted to think about this diner she was going to have with Harry. With Ginny too, she quickly added in her thoughts, the dinner with Ginny and Harry. Maybe they'll meet other people they knew who knows? She definitely needed to get some distraction from her previous conversation with Harry and a dinner at Luna's was a very good way to get that. Then, she'll seriously start to prepare her lessons. That was a great schedule.  
  
As soon as the meeting was over, she went back to her apartment to get ready for the dinner. She was supposed to head towards the infirmary to pick up Ginny and then they were to meet Harry in the Great Hall. As she entered her living room, she noticed that, again, that stupid door wasn't there. 'Whatever' she thought ...  
  
She quickly took a warm shower and then put a towel around her and another one around her hair to dry them and pressed gestured towards her muggle stereo to start some music. She began to sing along and dance a little bit as she was going through her clothes to chose the right outfits to wear tonight. She wanted to dress as a muggle tonight. Not witch robes allowed tonight she decided. But suddenly she wondered what Ginny and Harry would be wearing. What if she was making a fool of herself arriving dressed in muggle clothes while the other were wearing robes? She sat on her bed and wondered for a few seconds. Then she went to her living room to open a floo chat with Ginny. She stopped right at the entrance. The stupid door was there. 'Damned stupid door' she thought angrily. She made a beeline towards the door to open it, wondering what she'll find behind. She found herself in a fancy muggle restaurant. She closed her eyes a few seconds as if trying to collect her thoughts before getting any clue on what this was meaning and then she just closed the door and went back to her bedroom to put on her muggle clothes. 'That might be a sign' she thought.  
  
She decided to wear a little black dress that was not that short, but not that long either. It was not showing very much, but it was a very flattering dress anyway. She then put on her shoes and took a jacket with her. She considered her hair while passing by a mirror and just decided to let them have their way. She then made her way towards the infirmary and entered it to check if Ginny was ready to go.  
  
"WOW Hermione, who are you trying to hit on dressed like that? "teased Ginny.  
  
"Ah ah," said Hermione, "Ready to go?" she then asked.  
  
"Yep, I'm all set, let's go get Harry now," she answered.  
  
The two women headed then towards the Great Hall whishing they weren't going to meet Peeves. The little poltergeist would be delighted to ruin their outfits so it was better not to see him. They were lucky enough not to meet him and they sat on one of the Gryffindor's two benches waiting for Harry.  
  
"It's like the old times, isn't it Hermione?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Yeah that's weird, but it feels good." Hermione said smiling.  
  
"So, Head of Gryffindor, uh?" continued Ginny smiling as well.  
  
"Uhuh," answered Hermione, "I was not expecting it at all; I thought it would be Harry," She continued, "Actually, it should have been Harry, I mean, I've always thought he was the Heir of Gryffindor, I mean with what happened to you guys in third year ..."she then sighed a little bit, "I just hope I'll be worth of McGonagall's choice." She said.  
  
"You'll do just great Mione," said Harry entering the Great Hall.  
  
"Hey Harry," she girls greeted him, "Ready to go?" they asked.  
  
"I'm all yours tonight ladies," teased Harry.  
  
"Oh don't go with such a promise Harry, otherwise I know someone who might be disappointed,' Ginny teased.  
  
That earned her a well placed elbow in the ribs from a very blushing Hermione. "Why you little ...evil!!!! "Started Hermione to Ginny. Ginny just show her tongue at Hermione and laughed. Harry was ahead of them so he was unaware of the exchange, or was he?  
  
"What did you say that for?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Let me think for a few sec, "started Ginny, "To state the obvious?" she said in a mocking tone.  
  
"You're impossible!" said Hermione, "Please, don't do that again, I'm so embarrassed each time." She continued.  
  
"I don't get you, really, he cares for you, that as obvious as your nose in the middle of your face, and I know you have been fancying him for years. Why don't you take a chance?" said Ginny, getting serious.  
  
"I'm not as sure as you are that he reciprocate what I feel, it's that simple." Answered Hermione.  
  
"Right, so finally you're no more in denial, that's a start. "smiled Ginny. "Now, just act as the adult you are should act, just talk to the man!" she continued. "And for Heaven's sake, the man's crazy about you! Open your eyes!"  
  
As the girls arrived to the huge doors of Hogwarts where Harry was waiting for them, they just stop talking about it and decided just to enjoy the evening. It was a great dinner; Luna had set them in a calm area next to the window so they could enjoy the view over Hogsmeade. The dishes were absolutely delicious and Luna had hired a band for the evening so they were all able to dance. Very muggle like actually. The only difference being they weren't using microphones, they were using spells instead.   
  
As she lied in her bed that night, Hermione was happy; she was even looking for the real start of the year and the arrival of her students. She quickly fell asleep.  
  
"Here my Lord, I'm here to help you," shouted the woman, hurrying towards the center of the cemetery.  
  
"I really don't think so," said a very young woman in a very calm voice. She stood in front of the other woman, stopping her race towards the two men that were currently duelling.  
  
"Oh get out of my way mudblood, I have to help my Lord," said the older woman.  
  
"You won't move a bit," continued the young girl.  
  
"Get out of my way you stupid little girl, I have nothing to do with a mudblood, I'll take care of you as soon as we'll be done with the Potter boy," answered the woman in a very exasperated voice.  
  
"Petrificus Totalus", said the young witch gesturing towards the other woman with her wand.  
  
"Oh, aren't we cute, we went to petrify me with a tiny cutie little spell," mocked the woman. "Now, now, you really ask for it mudblood, "said the dark witch pointing her wand to the younger witch, "Crucio" she said with an evil smile.  
  
"Protego," immediately said the girl, then she pointed her wand at the evil woman and said "Sanguinarium!"  
  
The woman seemed taken aback by the spell as if wondering what could be the effects on her. She was hit by it squared in the face. In a matter of seconds, her nose, mouth and ears started to bleed furiously.  
  
"You filthy little mudblood!" she said enraged. She then turned around to look one of the death eaters that were duelling two boys in the same time. He was mocking them but suddenly it was obvious that he was no more that confident. He finally fell down to the ground, dead.  
  
"Lucius!" shouted Bellatrix Lestrange. She started to run towards him but then again, Hermione came in front of her, blocking her.  
  
"I told you to get out of my way, "she shouted furiously.  
  
"Hermione, you're alright?" asked one of the boys.  
  
"Go help Harry, I'm fine!" she answered to the red-haired boy.  
  
"Sure?" he asked.  
  
"Positive, just go!" she answered.  
  
"Oh little mudblood has a boyfriend, aren't we cute," mocked Bellatrix.  
  
"Just go! I'm fine" Hermione repeated to Ron as if encouraging him to go to help Harry.  
  
"Fine, are you?" Asked Bellatrix, "Not for long, I've told you mudblood to get out of my way, now Lucius is dead because of you, you're gonna pay!" she said with as much loath she could in her voice.  
  
"Crucio!" she tried again.  
  
"Protego!" said Hermione casting the spell back to Bellatrix.  
  
"Crucio!! Crucio! Crucioooooo!" said Bellatrix over and over not understanding why she wasn't able to hit Hermione with the spell.  
  
Hermione was quick enough each time to redirect the spell towards Bellatrix who was avoiding it as well. Hermione saw that Bellatrix was getting more and angrier at her. Not being able to make her suffer was enraging her even more. She looked at Hermione with insane eyes. She pointed her wand towards her with a sick smile.  
  
"Smartest witch in Hogwarts right?" she said. "I knew another one smart mudblood," she continued, "And she could not resists this spell," She stopped to give an insane laugh. "Good bye cutie tiny mudblood," she mocked. She then pointed her wand a last time towards Hermione and said the fateful words accompanied with the green light, "Avada Kedavra."  
  
Hermione quickly realized the 'Protego' spell was not going to work with the ultimate spell. There was only one way to escape from it.  
  
"Spedimenturna!" she said with all of her strength.  
  
"What?" said Bellatrix Lestrange while getting caught by the unforgivable spell.  
  
"Oh my God, what have I done?" said Hermione as Bellatrix Lestrange's lifeless body touched the ground.  
  
"What have YOU done?" asked Sirius's mother through her portrait?"  
  
"You killer! You killed my daughter!!" said a woman Hermione had never seen in her life but she recognized her as Bellatrix's mother.  
  
"Killer!" "You killer!" "You killed my daughter!" She voices seemed to never end. Hermione tried to go towards Harry to help him but the voices were still here. Sirius's mother was following her and her portrait was blocking her way any time Hermione was trying to get rid of it by taking another path towards Harry.  
  
"Killer, killer, killer, killer, you killed my daughter!" was endlessly repeating the other woman.  
  
"NOOOOOOO" screamed Hermione as she woke up in the middle of the night.  
  
She took a couple of deep inspirations and sighed.  
  
"I hate this nightmare!" she cried in her pillow.  
  
She was very angry at herself; fed up about having this nightmare. After her conversation with Harry, she truly understood that her feeling of guilt was not justified and that she had done the right thing to do given the circumstances.  
  
That's why she was so angry at herself. That was being weak and she really didn't need it right now since she'll soon have to face hundreds of students, some of them not that eager to study. She sighed in an angry way. She quickly got out of her room and walked to her living room with a very thick book. She stopped to look at the mysterious door that was there again.  
  
"I wonder," she said out loud," is this another Room of Requirement?"  
  
She made her way towards the door and stopped again.  
  
"Let's see, if this is a room of requirement, it will open to a room provided with anything I asked or, right? So ... I need a comfortable room to read my book and to calm down." She then opened the door expecting to see a very cosy room. She was very mistaken and most surprised to be welcomed by a powerful wind and very dark clouds together with rain. She even had trouble to shut the door.  
  
"I really don't get it!" she said while sitting on one of the very comfortable arm chair that was provided to the Hogwarts staff.  
  
She was flipping through the pages not really interested by what she was reading. She was way too angry to calm down so quickly. She needed a warm cup of hot chocolate, now that would help. Once again, she looked at the door wondering what was behind it, maybe it could give her the hot chocolate she needed? She was really surprised when she realized that the door was no longer there. She really was wondering about it now. What on earth was this stupid door? She tried to rationalize things during a few moments and then smiled.  
  
"Yeah right, as if magic could be rationalized..." she laughed.  
  
How she needed that hot chocolate! She stood up and decided to go to the Hogwarts kitchen, refusing to wake up a house elf to do it for her.  
  
Once again, she hoped she was not going to meet Peeves. He would just love to make a huge mayhem to wake up everybody! She took her wand and muttered a spell towards the lights so that it would be lightened only to give her enough light to find her way. The lights were automatically switching off when she had reached another one. When she arrived to the kitchen, she stopped and remembered the other times she had visited it with Harry and Ron. She remembered the S.P.E.W. as well. She was proud of her actions. Thanks to her, the Hogwarts house elves were free. They were given a wage and a day off each week. She had been able to have a meeting with someone at the Magical Creatures Minister. And even if she had not succeeded in freeing every single house elf in the whole English Magical World, she had succeeded in doing so in Hogwarts. Well truth being told, some of the current Hogwarts' house elves were not that happy about it. Most of them felt outraged at their new condition. Even if Dobby had tried at the time to explain the measure.  
  
Hermione was going to enter the kitchen when she noticed a small movement on her right. She turned towards it and saw a house elf that was wearing a green sock on his left foot and a red one on the other one. He was also wearing a huge amount of little knitted hats. Hermione smiled as she recognized Dobby.  
  
"Hi Dobby," she said.  
  
"Friend of Harry Potter!" he said. "Can Dobby help Hermione Granger?" he enquired.  
  
"Well you can show me around in the kitchen Dobby, I came to prepare a cup of hot chocolate." Answered Hermione.  
  
"Dobby can do it!" said the house elf in a much exited way. "Dobby likes to help!"  
  
"Thank you Dobby, that is very kind of you, but really, I can do it myself, you should be sleeping!" she said.  
  
"Dobby was going to do a hot chocolate to Harry Potter, Dobby can do two." He said.  
  
"I'll tell you what Dobby, you do the two hot chocolates, and I'll bring them to Harry, deal?" Hermione proposed him.  
  
"Ok, Dobby will do it," answered the little creature.  
  
Ok, this chapter is finished. Once again, I'm SO sorry I didn't update before! I tried to make a longer chapter than usual though.  
  
Please, review it!!!!


	9. Hot chocolate with Harry

Right, here's the next chapter!  
  
Many thanks to the reviewers of chapter 8:  
  
HarryMione4evr: Thank you very much! I'm not that good at updating soon but getting reviews like your gives me enough inspiration to post another chapter!  
  
scorpio-1983: Thank you for your nice review! That's so helpful to get such reviews! As you can see, I'm posting asap!  
  
blackdragonofdeath13: Thank you for loving my story! I'm trying to post the next chapter proportionally to the kindness of my reviewers :p  
  
No back to the story!  
  
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As she made her way to Harry's apartment to get him his hot chocolate, Hermione forgot to cast the spell towards the lights in the hall. She couldn't technically do so since she was carrying the cup of chocolate in each of her hand. Of course she could have put a locomotor spell on them, but she was starting to feel tired again and she did not think about it. That, unfortunately made Peeves to come around. The little evil poltergeist was more than happy to have his say and hurried towards the lights to see who was there and what he could do to make this person feel miserable enough. He was delighted to see it was Hermione, after all, she had been Head Girl once and he had been unable to get her at that time because she had been very careful not to cross his way during her last year in Hogwarts. Now was his revenge!  
  
He silently arrived just in her back and suddenly screamed as much as he could. Hermione jumped and screamed as well as she was startled to death. She screamed all the more when she got burned by the hot chocolate. Peeves was laughing and quickly getting to another floor so that he could not be caught by the now very angry witch.  
  
"Peeves I'll get you out of Hogwarts!" shouted the witch.  
  
"What happened?" asked Harry going out of his apartment.  
  
"This stupid Peeves startled me and I burned myself with the hot chocolate I was going to bring you," stated Hermione.  
  
"Show me," asked Harry taking both Hermione's hands.  
  
"It's not that bad," she started, "I'll ask Ginny a healing potion tomorrow, it's not like it's a serious burn anyway."  
  
"You really should go to Ginny to heal that," stubbornly said Harry, "It might be more serious than you think."  
  
"Oh come on Harry," Hermione answered, "It really is no big deal, and I assure you that I'll survive with some cold water on it until Ginny can give me her potion tomorrow." She then took her wand and gestured to the broken cups. "Repero!". Suddenly, all the pieces of china moved in order to form two perfect cups, even the tiniest of the pieces.  
  
"I guess I can't do anything about the chocolate unfortunately," said Hermione.  
  
"I don't care about the chocolate; really, I just needed to have it to keep me awake." said Harry. "How comes you were the one to bring it to me anyway? I asked Dobby to do it." He asked.  
  
"Well it's a coincidence actually; I was in the kitchen making one for myself when I met Dobby. So he finished the chocolate and Ii told him that I'll bring it to you, it's that simple." She said matter of factly.  
  
"Needed to stay awake to work on your book?" he teased, "Or trouble sleeping?" he then seriously asked.  
  
"Got another nightmare," Hermione finally answered after having wondered what to answer for a few seconds.  
  
Harry sighed at her answer. He knew oh so well how depressing those nightmares could be. He had those kinds during years. Now he was only dreaming of his parents and Sirius, it was nice dreams although disturbing as they were not here anymore. Those dreams were vivid, as if they were talking to him during his sleep. That's why he was making researches in very thick books. That's why he needed to stay awake; he really needed to be sure those were dreams and not messages from the dead people he missed the most. He had been taking lots of books from the library since he was at Hogwarts, looking for the slightest information about what he was experiencing. He even had borrowed a divination book. The one called "A New Interpretation of your dreams, by Sybil Trelawney". Of course he could have talk about it with Hermione. He was sure she could have pointed him to the most pertinent book ever about the subject in a matter of seconds. But he didn't want to talk about it right now. He felt people would either laugh at him, or pity him. And he had enough of both those reactions over the year to have to bear with it again. Somehow he knew Hermione would not react that way, but he was not ready. Maybe later though.  
  
Hermione looked at him as he was deeply immersed in his thoughts. She was cleaning the hot chocolate mess on the floor but starting at him at the same time. He looked tired, really tired. Maybe he was having nightmares as well? He was the same Harry as she had known for years thought. Messy untamed black hair, deep emerald eyes, glasses she remembered she had been repairing a countless of times... Except now those eyes were tired, very much so. Hermione quickly finished her work with the hot chocolate and looked back at Harry.  
  
"Do you want me to get you another cup?" she asked.  
  
"What?" asked Harry as if suddenly surfacing to the current situation again.  
  
"Do you want another cup of hot chocolate?" asked Hermione.  
  
"No it's alright, I need to sleep now, I'll see you tomorrow then," he said.  
  
"Ok, good night Harry," said Hermione before going back to her apartment.  
  
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The following morning, Hermione woke up and grimaced at her hands, they were very red and it was hurting her a lot. She put robes on her night gown and quickly made her way to the infirmary. At this time, no one would come across her, besides, the students were not here. She took her wand with her. If this evil Peeves was coming across her path this time, she'll give him a piece of her mind!  
  
As she arrived in the infirmary, she saw Professor Snape exiting the huge room that was used as a dormitory for the student that might be ill during the year. He saw her and made a quick bow with his head to greet her and then resumed his walk towards his dungeon. What could he be doing in the infirmary so early in the morning? Hermione knocked at the door and asked for Ginny when the door opened to a house-elf.  
  
"I'd like to see Ginny, please," Hermione gently said to the house elf.  
  
"I is not finished with the cleaning," answered the house-elf, "But I is looking for Ginny Weasley for you."  
  
"Thank you, what's your name?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Me name is Letty," answered the house-elf making her way towards Ginny's office.  
  
"Hermione? Do you need something?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Yes," simply answered Hermione showing her hands to Ginny.  
  
"Oh my god, when did that happened?" enquired Ginny.  
  
"This night, with hot chocolate, this stupid Peeves scared me and here's the result" Hermione said.  
  
"You should have woken me, really." stated Ginny.  
  
"Yeah, I know that's what Harry told me." She said.  
  
"What do you mean, he told you to come and see me? You mean this night? Come on Miss 'I'm-going-to-see-my-nothing-more-than-a-best-friend-in-the-middle-of-the-night, spit it out! What were you doing with Harry in the middle of the night? I wanna know everything!"  
  
"You wish," mischievously answered Hermione.  
  
That made Ginny's jaw to drop. She clearly was not expecting that at all.  
  
"What? What do you mean? Did something happen between the two of you? It's about time!" said a happy Ginny.  
  
"Calm down girl, I was only teasing. The only thing that indeed happened is that," said Hermione gesturing to her hands.  
  
"Oh I'll get you for making me think you had finally said something to Harry!" said Ginny. "Right, let me get you a good healing potion and in a matter of one hour, your burns will be forgotten.  
  
"Speaking of potions, what was Snape doing here?" asked Hermione. She was most surprised when she realized Ginny was now furiously blushing.  
  
"He was just bringing me some potions I needed." she answered trying to hide her blush as much as possible. "Here's what you need. If you still feel the burn after lunch, come back to see me, I'll give you more potion."  
  
"Ok," answered Hermione.  
  
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Now that she was back in her apartment, she prepared a bath with some perfumed oil and she went back to her bedroom to choose her clothes while the bath tub was being filled. Then again, she made a switch with her wand to start the muggle stereo and she sang along the music while putting some of the potion on her hands. She then casted a protecting spell on it so that she could take her bath without hurting her hands or avoiding any kind of effect from the potion. Then she came back inside the bathroom and she relaxed in her bath still singing. She liked this routine in the morning, especially when she did not have to wake up early. She had enough time to do so today; otherwise she was sometimes doing it in the evening, most of the times after an exhausting day. Today she'll be working on her schedule, deciding how she was going to follow the program that had been decided for her classes. Then she'll get her official schedule from Headmistress McGonagall to see which classes she'll have during the week. She'll have to choose the Gryffindor's prefects as well as being the new Head of Gryffindor and she'll have her word to give on who will be the new captain of the Gryffindor's Quidditch team. She'll have to decide on a pass word for the Gryffindor Tower as well. As scared as she was of failing in her duties, she was really starting to feel excited about the whole thing.  
  
She then exited the bathtub to circle herself with a huge towel still humming along the radio. She then dried her hair and tried to tame them as best as she could. Truth be told, she was doing way better than she once did with her hair. She had finally succeeded in getting them some kind of control over her hair. When she was ready, she headed to the Great Hall to have breakfast.  
  
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As soon as she was done with breakfast, she headed towards her office to check on the papers Headmistress McGonagall had gave her. She was eager to see what kind of schedule she will have during the year. She sat on her chair and began to read the time table. On Monday she was giving double Charms on First years and then she was giving a one hour class at the seventh years. After lunch she was giving them another two-hour class. On Tuesday, she was giving double-charms to the second years and a one-hour then two-hour class to the sixth years. On Wednesday, she'll have two hours with the third years and one hour with the fourth year. Then, after lunch she was having a two-hour class with the fifth years. On Thursday, she'll teach the fourth years during two hours and then the fifth years during on hour. She was then giving two periods to the sixth years before and then the seventh years. She'll have all her Friday to herself but she suspected she'll use it for her Head of Gryffindor's duties and to prepare her classes. She was having the four houses together in each of her classes. That was fine with her but she suspected it will be very impressive to teach to so many people at once. She knew she was ready for that, Charms were one of her favourite subject and she read so many books about it! She knew her stuff. Her only point of concern was her behaviour towards her students. She didn't really know how to react and how to make them to listen to her.  
  
She was glad she'll be starting with the first years. She thought that somehow they'll be easier to manage. But right after them, she was teaching the seventh years during 3 full hours. That was dreadful! What if she couldn't manage her class? She'll have to ask advices to Harry or McGonagall about it, she needed to be ready. After all, she had managed to be a good Head Girl on her seventh year, which was a little bit the same after all. Well of course she didn't have to teach a whole class at the time, but she did lecture some people when they were having a bad behaviour.  
  
She put her schedule aside and looked at the prefects proposition list. She knew nothing about them in fact; it was very difficult to make a choice. There were a little sum up of their current behaviour next to each name, and there were their marks as well. They were all quite successful in their studies it seems. Then again, she put the list aside and decided to have a word with the Headmistress about it. She took the next paper that was entitled "Gryffindor's Quidditch team". She smiled and thought Harry could help. Then again, how was she supposed to choose someone while she did not know the team? Really, why on earth had they chosen her as Head of Gryffindor? She sighed and took the next paper. This one was about choosing the Gryffindor's Tower passwords. Now that was a thing she could do! Finally! She wrote a couple of passwords and headed towards the Fat Lady portrait to give them to her.  
  
Once again, a surge of nostalgia took over her as she was making her way to the tower. She had spent some many happy memories there. She surprised herself when she realized she was taking all her time to go there, savouring the moment. She smiled when he took the staircase that had once guided her, Harry and Ron to the third floor that was out of bound at the time. How many times had they used those stairs under Harry's invisibility cloak?  
  
When she arrived at the Fat Lady's portrait, she was greeted by a very excited portrait indeed.  
  
"My dear, I am so delighted that you're the new Head of Gryffindor, nothing against Minerva of course." She quickly added.  
  
"Hello," said Hermione, "I'm here to give you the new passwords for the term."  
  
"Of course dear, just tell them to me and it's ok."  
  
"Right, so, I thought we could change it each month if it's alright with you." started Hermione.  
  
"Good idea dear, go ahead and I'll memorize them all."  
  
"Ok, right now the password's Guiverna McCloud, so let's keep it like that, we'll change it in September to be Dumbledore's Phoenix, October's will be Shrieking Shack, November will be Diagon Alley and December will be Firebolt." She said. "If it's working like that, I'll soon give you the other passwords."  
  
"I got them dear." stated the portrait.  
  
Hermione then looked at her. "Could I have a look inside? I kind of miss it."  
  
"Password?" required the portrait.  
  
"Guinerva McCloud." stated Hermione.  
  
"You may enter," simply answered the Fat Lady.  
  
Hermione was suddenly overwhelmed by all the memories that were surfacing. The fireplace where they had been talking to Sirius was there. The armchair where she had spent hundreds of hours studying, the staircase to the girls dormitory ... The table where Harry and Ron where playing wizards chess. She remembered the parties that were held here when they won the Quidditch cup, the enchanted banners and all the food and butterbeer the Weasley twins were bringing back from the kitchen. All had remained unchanged.  
  
She sat on an armchair and stayed there delighted to be back to what had been her house during seven years. As she had not had enough sleep the previous night, she finally fell asleep on the armchair.  
  
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Ok, it's all for now. Hope you'll like it. Please read and review, you know that the more review I get, the more update I make ;)  
  
Thanks in advance!


	10. Back to school day

WOW So many reviews! Thanks a lot guys! Sorry if you guys received mails from stating that I posted loads of updates but I made a few changes in chapter 6 (basically I made Neville Head of Hufflepuff instead of Ravenclaw, that's the only change).  
  
Also, since I'm a huge fan of Star Wars (if you are as well, please check out the fanfiction I'm currently writing called "Carbonite"), I put a dialogue between Padmé and Anakin, except it's Hermione and Harry here ;) Thought it'd be funny.  
  
ask100: I'm glad you liked the update email I sent. I was afraid it would be kinda "spam". Uhm I don't know, maybe Harry's gonna find her, maybe not ... ;)  
  
HarryMione4evr: Glad to see you're still here! You'll see how Hermione's first day is gonna turn ;)  
  
AandKerock: I'm using the word spell checker but since it's configured to be in French, I only have an option to do so in English, I'm not sure it's doing a proper job. But I'll try to do a better checking!  
  
Book Lover990 : Glad you liked the chapter, see, I'm updating ;)  
  
Pia O'Leary: wow, I think you made one of my longest reviews so far. Thanks a bunch! I'm very glad you like it! There will be more couples, some unexpected, some well known, but I might try to make you think some people are going to get together while they won't ;) You're learning French? Ouch, I've heard French is difficult to learn, so many irregular things ... If you need help, just email me, I'd be glad to help :D  
  
scorpio-1983: I'm so glad you're still reading! Even more glad that you still like it!  
  
Right, on with the story, I think I'm gonna take ask100's idea ...  
  
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Harry had been looking for Hermione for about twenty minutes now. He needed to talk with her about the Gryffingor's Quidditch team. As he had been appointed Hogwarts Quidditch Coach, he needed to get information about all the teams. He had succeeded in getting information from Neville about the Hufflepuff's team and he had even gotten information about the Slytherin's team from Snape. He just needed to find Hermione and then he'll be able to enquire about the Ravenclaw's team with Professor Pakoti.  
  
Where on earth could she be? He had tried her apartment but Lady Fiona had told him that Hermione had left earlier with some papers. Knowing Hermione, he had quite quickly figured out she might be in the library. After all he had always found her there whenever he had been looking for her. Fat chance for she wasn't there. He had looked through a window to check if she wasn't outside but couldn't see her. Oh wait a minute, as the Head of Gryffindor; she could be in the Gryffindor Tower, couldn't she? Harry then made his way towards the Gryffindor Tower, hoping he could find Hermione there.  
  
He was glad to see the Fat Lady again.  
  
"Hello dear," she greeted him.  
  
"Can I come in?" he asked.  
  
"Password?" enquired the Fat Lady.  
  
"Uh ... I don't know it in fact," said Harry.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't let you in then," answered the Fat Lady.  
  
"Even a teacher can't get it without a password?" said Harry, "Even an ex-Gryffindor?" he tried, "Even the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice?" he begged doing his best puppy eyes.  
  
The Fat Lady looked at him as if trying to judge the situation.  
  
"Look, I'm looking for Hermione, if she's not inside, it's alright, I don't need to get in, but if she is, I just need to talk to her," she said, "Please?" he quickly added.  
  
"Alright, I think Professor Granger won't be mad at me if I let you in," the Fat Lady answered him opening the entrance leading to the Gryffindor's common room.  
  
"Thanks!" Harry said happily while he entered the common room.  
  
He then noticed that Hermione was asleep in the armchair and took the opportunity to look at her. She seemed at peace and after having looked at her during breakfast, he could tell she really needed her rest. He truly hoped she would get rid of her nightmares as soon as possible, which were not doing any good to her, especially just before the day of the come back of all the Hogwarts students. She needed to be more confident because he knew she was the most capable witch and that she'll be a wonderful teacher. After all, she had spent seven years, re explaining Ron and him all the lessons, showing them exactly how to move they wands and how to properly pronounce the spell so that it could work. If she had succeeded with them, there was no way she could fail with other students. She had that in her, he was sure of that.  
  
He was still staring at her, sitting on the opposite armchair. She had not changed that much over the years. Her hair was way better though. "At least, one of us succeeded in it," he silently laughed. She still was the Hermione he had known for years. His best friend Hermione, his best girlfriend Hermione, his Hermione, his girlfriend Hermione. WOW, now wait a minute, what had he been thinking? Better get those thoughts way back his mind. But still, he had always been so concentrated on his battle against Voldemort that he had never had the opportunity to think of her in that way. After his fifth year, that is after Sirius's death, he had denied himself the right to be interested in girls. He knew he needed to put all of his strength in fighting Voldemort. He had even tried to put his friends aside at one point. But they had stuck to him, not wanting to be left aside, totally wanting to help him. But now; Voldemort was dead and his followers were tracked down, now he had time to think a little bit more about girls, women in fact. Hermione had always been here for him; from day one. Could he feel a little bit more than a true and deep friendship towards her? He had never actually loved someone in fact. Except Sirius that had been this mixture of father and older brother to him. He loved his friend, that's true. But he had never allowed himself to love a woman. He couldn't call love what he had been feeling towards Cho at the time. Only time will tell, he decided. He felt strong feelings for Hermione, but he didn't know what exactly the nature of them was.  
  
As Hermione began to stir from her sleep, he stopped staring at her and smiled.  
  
"Hello sleepy head, hope you had a good rest," he gently teased.  
  
"Oh my god," said Hermione, "What time is it? How much did I sleep?"  
  
"Don't know how much but it's nearly lunch time." answered Harry.  
  
"Oh man, I'm SO very late in my preparations! I needed to see McGonagall about the prefects chose and you about Quidditch and then I had to prepare my first lessons! Oh man!" she nervously said.  
  
"Calm down," soothingly said Harry. "I'm here for Quidditch too; I needed the list of the member of the Gryffindor's team." He added.  
  
"Sure, here it is. I needed your say about who I should appoint captain." Hermione said.  
  
"That's a tough question seeing we don't know the team. We should wait and decide after their first practice." He proposed.  
  
"Seems fait enough to me. Deal then." said Hermione.  
  
"Let's go for lunch then."   
  
---------------  
  
"Headmistress, could I see you in your office after lunch?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Please call me Minerva," started McGonagall "You can meet me there at 2 if it's ok with you. Anything serious?" she enquired.  
  
"Oh no, I was just wanted to go over the prefects list with you as I don't really know the students. And talking about that, I think I'll appoint the new Quidditch captain later. I know nothing about the team after all." said Hermione.  
  
"That sounds just like pure logic," answered Minerva McGonagall smiling. "How are you feeling about tomorrow? Pretty nervous I guess." She continued.  
  
"Nervous isn't the right word I think. I'd said scared is more appropriate. I really hope I'm going to do a good job here." answered Hermione.  
  
"I'm sure you will." said a very confident Headmistress. She then turned to Harry that was on her left.  
  
"I'll let you do the speech about the Quidditch International Magical Schools Championship if you like," she told him.  
  
"That sounds good," he answered. "Will Ron be here as well?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, as he's the representative of the Minister of Magical Sports, he has to be here too." said McGonagall.  
  
Hermione used that time when Harry was speaking with McGonagall to look at Ginny. She had not forgotten the woman's uneasiness when she had visited her in the morning. What was going on with her? And what was Snape doing there? She then turned to look at Snape to realize he was looking at her as well. She put her attention on her plate and finished her meal while questions were ragging in her mind. What was that all about?  
  
As they finished lunch, Hermione headed towards McGonagall's office with the Headmistress as they needed to check the prefects list. Harry was in the library preparing his speech for the Come Back Feast the day after. He was happy that the school year was finally going to start!   
  
When Hermione was done with McGonagall, she decided to head to the library to check on the first chapters of the Charms class. She wanted to read them for each year , that will give her the opportunity to know what she'll be doing in two days when class were going to really start. She found Harry working over a paper and laughed.  
  
"Now tell me, who are you and what have you done to my best friend? I'm the one that's usually working on a piece of parchment in the library." She teased.  
  
"I'm working on my speech," answered Harry smiling.  
  
"Need some help?" Hermione proposed.  
  
"I think I'm done, if you could just read it to tell me what you think..."  
  
"Sure." She said taking the parchment and reading it. "Sounds good to me, they're going to be thrilled about the news I bet." She said smiling.  
  
"Oh yes, I would have been thrilled if something like that had happened while I was still a Hogwarts Quidditch player! You bet I would have!" he said excited.  
  
"So you're ready for the start of the term?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yep, all ready." He answered.  
  
"Well you had a very good practise at it when you were teaching us in the DA, remember that?" she asked.  
  
"Uhuh, I also remember that old bat Umbridge woman that stopped us!" he said.  
  
"You'll be a great DADA teacher, maybe the best in many years of the Hogwarts history." Hermione said very seriously.  
  
"Oh come on, Remus as good!" said a blushing Harry.  
  
"He certainly was, as far as I'm concerned, he's second on my top DADA teacher's list" Hermione joked.  
  
"Oh and who's third?" Harry asked curious.  
  
"Lockhart of course" answered Hermione. She then laughed at Harry's reaction. "Oh come on Harry, I'm joking! Seriously, Snape would be third."  
  
"Snape? But we never had him as a DADA teacher! How could you rate his capacities?" asked a scandalized Harry.  
  
"Obviously he was good enough to be able to spy on Voldemort and never been caught." Hermione started. "And I heard he made a very good job during his two years as DADA teacher. I wonder why he came back to potions though." She mused.  
  
"Whatever, I'm first on your list, that's the point" said Harry.  
  
"Right," answered Hermione. "Ok I really have to get ready with my class;" she said while standing up and starting looking through the numerous books on the shelves. She picked seven of them and started to read the first chapters of each of them. Harry looked at her surprised.  
  
"Don't tell me you're reading them?" he asked.  
  
"Of course I'm reading them." answered Hermione not lifting her nose from the book she was immersed in.  
  
"But, I though you'd know them y heart since you spent so much time on them!" answered Harry.  
  
"Back then, I was reading them on a student point of view, I have now to read them on a teacher point of view." answered Hermione, still reading.  
  
"Oh I see, it's the same reason why you wanted to go to muggle studies then." He said.  
  
"Uh uh you can say that." Hermione said.  
  
"You do know all of those books are in your office, right?" he asked.  
  
That made her look at him; she was slightly blushing. "I know she started, "But I ... see, as the students aren't here for now, I kind of wanted to have the library all to myself a last time."  
  
Harry started to laugh at her answer, she was so cute with her little puppy eyes. She'll never change on that point and that was nice to know.  
  
"You're making fun of me!" she stated.  
  
"Oh no, I'd be much too frightened to tease the Gryffindor's Head." answered Harry, still laughing.  
  
"Get out of here!" she threatened him.  
  
Still laughing, Harry left the library, leaving it all to the young witch.  
  
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Man was she nervous. The students were to arrive any minute now. She had been asked to be ready at the staff table with the other teachers while Professor Pakoti was greeting the first years that had been leaded by Hagrid. McGonagall had done it for years and she missed it, unfortunately she had not enough time to do it now.  
  
Soon the other students will arrive in the Great Hall to sit and attend the Sorting Ceremony. Why on earth was she so nervous? She had been there years ago. She knew what was going to happen. That was seriously starting to get on her nerves. It had to stop, really! She nearly missed a beat of her heart when the first students happily entered the Great Hall. They ware chatting and sitting to the tables were they were belonging. Hermione looked more closely to the Gryffindor students. When they were all around the tables, the huge doors of the Great Hall closed once again as to prepare the arrival of the first years. Hermione saw Ron arriving from the staff table and taking place at the staff table. She smiled at him and was starting to speak with him when the huge doors opened to reveal some very scared first years.  
  
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Alright, that's all for now. I can't believe I posted so many updates in three days! It's thanks to your reviews!!!!  
  
Please read and review.


	11. A new warning?

Alright guys, here's the next chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to post an update but in the meantime I started another Harry Potter story centred on Lily and James, I'd be thrilled if you could read and review it as well! The title is "And it all started". There's only one chapter for now though.  
  
Thanks to my awesome reviewers! You guys just rock!  
  
Pia O'Leary: More fluff uh? Eh eh eh you'll see ;) Man you seem to have a 'delightful" French teacher :p  
  
HarryMione4evr: I'm sorry I could not update quicker but right now I'm in my finals at college and I have this huge end of studies report to write plus a huge marketing file to compile and give to my marketing teacher. That does not leave much time to write unfortunately. Thanks for being such a regular reviewer though.  
  
Rosey88: Thank you, I'm glad you like the story that much.  
  
Meaka: thank you for your review, see here's more ;)  
  
AndKerock: thanks for your review! Glad you like the story that much!!! Here's more!  
  
Kaia: yep, I'm French. Thanks for your review!!  
  
Ashleigh: man you're making me blush here. Your review is SO kind! I'm very proud of it actually! Especially because I had not that kind reviews at the beginning! Thanks a bunch you really made my day!  
  
scorpio-1983: glad you're still here, that means you like the story, thanks for your review!  
  
Anonymous: thanks for your review!  
  
barenakedally: toi toi toi hein prout d'abord :p Espèce de maîtresse chanteuse va ! Merki pour la review !  
  
lilsteph: I'm trying to make it as « real » as I can but it's kinda easy because it's in the future so you just need to anticipate a little bit but I might be screwed when JKR is going to issue books 6 and 7, who knows ;)  
  
harrysgal8: here's an update, I hope you'll like it as well!  
  
I had the hardest time to come up with a Sorting Hat song so I only put a few lines here. I'm not that happy about it, I personally think it sucks big time ... Oh, that chapter might be short, I'm sorry.  
  
Right, back to the story now!  
  
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Everyone was looking at the first years that were entering the great hall. As every single first year had once felt, they were scared but also very impressed by the scenery. Lost of them were looking at the ceiling in pure awe. Hermione smiled remembering how she had gotten on the nerves of some of her fellow first years when she had explained that is was bewitched as if she had been there all her life. Some of them had looked at her impressed, some other weren't. That was the beginning of her bossy-know-it-all carrier as a Hogwarts student.  
  
The first years were now gathered at the very end of the houses tables, in front of the staff table. They were looking at the teachers as if trying to decide if they were going to be nice or not. They were all apprehensive, wondering what was going to happen. The muggle-borns were curious and apprehensive because they did not know a thing about what was going to take place. On the other end, the half and pure blood were all the same apprehensive but it was a different kind of apprehension. Where muggle-borns were curious, the others were simply scared. Once again Hermione smiled as she remembered how Ron was scared because of what his brothers had told him. She looked at Ron that was lost in a surge of nostalgia as well looking at the first years. She had been scared as well at the time. She had read the whole "Hogwarts a History" and she new there was a sorting ceremony however she couldn't find what the criteria were and she was afraid she had not studied enough to be prepared for it. She then looked at Harry and realized he was staring at her. He smiled and no word was needed, she knew what he was thinking, the exact same thing she had, he was remembering his arrival at Hogwarts as well.  
  
Professor Pakoti summoned the Sorting Hat with much respect and put it on a chair positioned in the middle of the spare space between the first years and the staff table. She then gently tapped it with the edge of her wand and it started to move as if being alive. Looking closer to it, it seemed it was indeed alive. The first years were looking at it wondering what part it was going to take in their arrival at Hogwarts. Was it going to hurt? Were they going to be teased by older students? What if they did not pass this kind of test? Were they going to be sent back home?  
  
The Sorting Hat then began to speak, welcoming the students in Hogwarts and then it began to sing the traditional welcome song.  
The first years were listening at it with much attention. Maybe it was a part of the test after all, some teachers were listening as well while the other students, very well aware of what was going to take place had resumed their chatting about their holidays. µ  
  
Hermione had learned how important the song was, especially after the warning the Sorting Hat had gave them during her fifth year. She was talking about the announcement Harry and Ron were going to make at the same time. It felt so right! It was right like the old times if you put aside the fact that they were sitting at the staff table. Once again, nostalgia took over her. Suddenly Hermione was taken back to the present time and quickly turned her full attention to the Sorting Hat as did Harry and Ron seeing her very concentrated.  
  
"As the new year has already started"  
"A new warning I must unfortunately give"  
"To a Hogwarts teacher newly appointed'  
"Beware of an old enemy that did not forgive"  
"But Gryffindor you were"  
"So afraid you are not"  
"For Gryffindors are brave"  
"And cowards you're certainly not".  
"Now that I gave my warning"  
"Let the Sorting begin!"  
  
Hermione looked at Harry that was looking back at her. Clearly the warning was given to one of them. To Hermione it made no doubt it was given to Harry, after all she did not have any particular enemy if you put aside Bellatrix Lestrange that was dead. Voldemort was dead as well though. But the first time Harry had won over him, he was supposed to be gone, right, and nothing had avoided him to come back in full powers. But now what? The prophecy was clear about it though, one had to kill the other one to survive. And Harry had indeed killed Voldemort, his body was found, analysed and burned. Hermione then realized that the whole school was looking at her and Harry and it made her feel most uncomfortable. She gestured towards professor Pakoti so that she could start the sorting.  
  
Professor Pakoti then made a very long parchment to appear in her hands and started to call the students one by one. The first one looked positively scared as he sat on the chair and even closed his eyes as Professor Pakoti put the Sorting Hat on his head.  
  
"Hufflepuff!" shouted the Sorting Hat. The student looked relieved and he made his way towards the Hufflepuff's table where he was greeted by his new fellow Huffepuffs.  
  
The Sorting Ceremony continued for a while and as the last student was sorted in Gryffindor, all the students turned to look at the Headmistress that was going to give her welcome speech. She stood up and made a circular look at all the students that were intently staring at her.  
  
"A new year at Hogwarts has begin," she started, "We welcome you all in our school hoping you will feel here as in a family. I shall remind to all the students that the Forest is strictly forbidden to any student unless you're accompanied by a professor or a member of the staff. I would like now to introduce you two new teachers that joined us this year." She then turned to Hermione and gestured her to stand up.  
  
"Miss Hermione Granger, former Hogwarts Head Girl will be your new Charms teacher." Hermione was slightly blushing as the students applauded. She then sat back on her chair and it was Harry's turn.  
  
"And this is your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and I daresay you couldn't find a best professor, Mister Harry Potter." The cheer the students gave to Hermione was nothing compared to the one they gave Harry. Hermione took no offence in it as she was cheering as well, very proud of her friend.  
  
Headmistress McGonagall then continued. "I will now let Mister Ronald Weasley present you a project that will in part take place in Hogwarts this year and I'm pretty sure most of you are going to be very interested in it." She finished as she sat back on her chair.  
  
It was now Ron's turn to speak. "My fellow Hogwarts students, I'm very proud to announce that the Ministry of Magical Sports gave me this year the leading position of the first ever International Magical Schools Quidditch Championship," Rom could not continue because his announcement was followed by a powerful scream of joy from most of the students. They were all positively thrilled about the news as McGonagall had announced previously. Ron waited for the students to calm down before he could continue. "7 schools will be participating in this championship, Hogwarts, obviously, Durmstrang and BeauxBatons that you might already know, the Scuola dei Sortilegi from Italy, the Schwartzer Drachen from Germany, the Bonito Buho from Spain and The Spells Academy from the USA. Teams are now starting to be formed and I will now let the Hogwarts coach introduce you to the process." Then Ron stopped and Harry stood.  
  
"I believe most of you are interested in this project, and I'm very proud to be the Hogwarts coach this year. I have been a proud Hogwarts Quidditch player during my seven years in Hogwarts and I would have been even prouder if such an opportunity had been offered to me. I rally hope you realize how important this is. There will be a whole tryout process to select the members of the Hogwarts team. The tryouts are open to every single Hogwarts students. The only requisite you have to take is first passing a tryout with your house team, and then the house team's captains will give me a list of the best performances. Obviously the team's members do not have to take this requisite. I will go and talk to your Head of House during the week to give them the instructions and plannings and I believe you'll have all the information you need within a week." As Harry sat down, he looked at Hermione who gave him the thumb up to tell him his speech had been perfect. She even winced at him and that made him laugh. Headmistress McGonagall then gave the signal the house elves were waiting to let the meal to apparate in the student's empty golden plates.  
  
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Later that evening, Hermione was going back to the Gryffindor's common room to check if everything was alright with her students. She had given the prefects the list of passwords and she had told them that she will be meeting them first thing the next morning. She just approached the Gryffindor tower and then as she reached the Fat Lady's portrait, she suddenly felt out of place. The Gryffindors were certainly having a welcome back feast in here and she would feel as an intruder if she were entering the tower. She then decided to go back to her apartment trusting the Gryffindor prefects would do a good job.  
  
As she arrived towards her apartment, she noticed Ron was there waiting for her.  
  
"Ron? I'm sorry, if I had known you wanted to see me I wouldn't have checked the Gryffindors." said Hermione.  
  
"It's alright Hermione, really." answered Ron.  
  
"Password?" asked Lady Fiona.  
  
That's made Hermione turned a nice crimson colour and Ron looked at her wondering what it was all about.  
  
"Harry Potter," murmured Hermione under her breath. She heard Ron chuckled in her back and then opened the door. She was starting to feel she could explain the situation when she heard Lady Fiona's comment: "I've told you it wasn't a good idea dear." And that of course made Ron laugh even more.  
  
"Oh come on Ron, cut it out!" snapped Hermione.  
  
"Then stop blushing, it's what is making me laugh." He answered still amused.  
  
"Come on, I know you, say what you have to say, come on now, spit it out!" asked a very not amused Hermione.  
  
"Ok, you asked for it" started Ron getting more serious. He then looked at her, "So tell me, how long have you been in denial?" he asked.  
  
"Denial?" she said trying to act as if she did not understand what he was telling her, "what denial?"  
  
"Come on Herms, it's me, you know, you're best friend, you should know better, you know perfectly well you can't lie to me, especially not about something that obvious!" he said.  
  
"What's that obvious?" she asked.  
  
Ron sighed. "Really, never in my life have I seen someone that in denial. Don't you dare tell me you're not in love with Harry!" he said. As Hermione was opening her mouth to vigorously deny what he had just said, Ron continued, avoiding her to answer. "Come on, have you seen the looks you were giving him all through dinner? And while he was giving his speech!" he said before being interrupted.  
  
"I looked at you while you made your speech as well and last time I checked I was not in love with you!" she said happy to make a point.  
  
"You did look at me, but not in the same way you stared at Harry, come on Herms, I've known you for what ... fourteen years? You know you can't hide something that big from me. You know you can tell me right? I'm here for you if you want to speak about it." He stopped.  
  
Hermione looked at him as if acknowledging she had lost this battle and then sighed.  
  
"Since fifth year." She simply said.  
  
"What?" asked a confused Ron.  
  
She looked at him and repeated, "Since fifth year, I've been in denial since fifth year."  
  
"Bloody hell." just stated Ron, "that's a bloody long time!"  
  
"Go figures." said Hermione.  
  
"I'm so sorry I did not confront you before, I should have, really." He said as if apologizing.  
  
"There's nothing to regret, anyway, he never showed the slightest interest in me, in a romantic point of view. So now, I've told you but there's not point in it, he does not love me this way." firmly stated Hermione.  
  
"How can you be so sure about it?" Ron asked. "Did you ever confront him?"  
  
"Are you insane Ronald Weasley?" she told him outraged.  
  
"Well I'm being practical here; if you've never asked him, how can you be so sure he does not love you?" pointed out Ron.  
  
"Well he's a guy, he should be the one to ask me out, that is if he's interested, and that he is not, I mean, he never had any kind of problems in asking girls out, he asked Cho Chang out, even Ginny!"   
  
"Yeah thank you very much for reminding me Harry dated my sister, I did not needed that!" said Ron.  
  
"Oh come on, it didn't take them a week to realize it was a mistake, get over it Ron."  
  
They stayed silent for a few minutes when Hermione broke the silence.  
  
"I really should change that password though; it might be very uncomfortable if I happen to arrive in my apartment with Harry. Her comment brought back a smile on Ron's lips.  
  
"Yep, you bet you should change that password, how about I love you Harry?" he teased.  
  
Ronald Weasley get out of here this instant!" said Hermione in a mocking tone.  
  
They laughed at it and then Ron stood up to leave.  
  
"You should get your sleep, tomorrow if your real first day!" he said.  
  
"Uh uh" only answered Hermione.  
  
She accompanied him to the door and hugged him good bye, then she closed the door and prepared her things for the day after before entering the bathroom to take a long hot bath. She was wondering about her discussion with Ron. Should she try it? That could mean ruining her friendship with Harry. Really she did not need it right now. Tomorrow was her first day as a teacher and she really was nervous about it. She was even wondering whether she should go to Ginny and ask her a sleeping potion; that would really help. The temptation was big but Hermione started to feel tired as soon as she exited her bathroom to go to sleep.  
  
Even though she was tired, she couldn't fall asleep right away. She was reliving her day over, thinking about the bad things she had done and how she could have done better. That was a routine she was imposing to herself every evening. It was her way of getting better, of being a better person. Then she thought of Harry again. How could Ron be so sure about Harry's feelings towards her? Maybe he had already talk about it with him? Oh man now that Ron knew she loved Harry, he could tell him anytime. Well, of course he knew that he would be so dead he if were talking to Harry bout it, plus he was her friend so he should trust him a little bit more.  
  
Thinking back about it, the sleeping potion was a good idea after all ... Now Hermione was wondering what her first day would be. She really hoped her classes would be good.  
  
She finally fall asleep early in the morning not before having triple checked that she had correctly casted the waking-up spell she had created.  
  
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Alright, I promise, there's more to come about the Sorting Hat's warning and more fluff between Harry and Hermione is about to happen!  
  
Please read and review, I'll be thrilled!


	12. First day as a teacher

Oh my god you guys are wonderful! I can't believe how fast you're reviewing! I can't believe that I'm approaching the 100 reviews mark as well.  
  
Special thanks to the chapter 11 reviewers:   
  
Kaia: I'm glad you like the email update! Thanks for your review!  
  
Harrysgal8: thanks a lot for your review!  
  
Book Lover990: thanks for your review! If you leave your email I can drop you an update email if you want.  
  
Pia O'Leary: I have to say you won the "make my day with your review" grand prize for chapter 11, you simply rock! Thanks a lot for your wonderful review! And yeah, more fluff is indeed to come :p  
  
scorpio-1983: thanks for still reading and reviewing each chapter, it's great to have regular readers and reviewers like you!  
  
Beth5572: thanks a lot for your review! I'll add you to the email update list.  
  
Star of dawn: salut! Mon prénom? C'est Bénédicte, et toi tu es d'où? Merci pour ta review ça me fait énormément plaisir !  
  
Oh by the way, I started another Harry Potter fic called « And it all Started », I might add a new chapter today or tomorrow, I'd be thrilled if you could read and review it. For those of you that are Star Wars fans as well, I'm writing a fic called "Carbonite".  
  
Right, back to the story now!!!  
  
I love your reviews guys! (I HAD to say it again :p)  
  
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The wakening spell worked its magic as it started to slowly rock Hermione back and forth on her bed. It was settled to rock her even harder if she was not waking up quick enough. But Hermione did wake up very quickly and she disabled the spell carefully setting it for the day after. She stirred and yawned before getting out of her bed. She looked through the French windows and saw it was going to be a very nice day. She smiled and gestured towards the muggle radio she had brought with her to listen to some music and she hummed along. She started to do some exercises to keep her in good shape and then she headed to her bathroom to get ready for her first day as a teacher in Hogwarts. Wait a minute, first day-as a teacher-in Hogwarts. Man, just thinking about it was enough to make the nervousness she had felt the evening before to come back full force in her stomach. She took a quick shower and exited it to wrap herself in one of her huge towels. She then took care of her hair and got dressed. She needed to eat breakfast early because she had a prefects meeting to run before her first class. The prefect meeting wasn't scaring her at all though because she had been Head Girl so she had leaded numerous prefects meeting before.  
  
She met Harry at the staff table and she truly hoped she wasn't going to blush like crazy meeting his beautiful emerald eyes with her own. Damn Ron for making her to acknowledge her feeling for Harry! Damn those emerald eyes as well, why wasn't she able to avoid simply drowning herself in them?  
  
"Hey Mione, had a good night? Not too nervous I hope?" he gently enquired.  
  
"Well I must admit I had better nights. And yes I'm very nervous," she answer thinking that she was even most nervous around him now that she had this little chat with Ron. Damn damn DAMN Ron Weasley!  
  
"I need to have a talk with you tonight, do you have a spare time in your planning for me?" he asked.  
  
What on earth does he want a moment with me to talk about wondered Hermione.  
  
"Uh, let see, I have this meeting with McGonagall to give her my list for the new prefects and she might ask me my advice about the Head boy and girl. Then I'll have to review the lessons I'll be giving tomorrow. How about after dinner?" she offered.  
  
"That's fine with me," answered Harry.  
  
Hermione was wondering what Harry wanted to tell her. She really started to freak out about it. She was imagining dozens of different reasons why he could ask her a talk. Could be anything in fact. Could be about school, could be about Quidditch, could be about asking her advices about another girl ... She sighed. Harry was looking at her, still oblivious about her feelings about him.  
  
She was acting strange since she had been back in Hogwarts. She still was very nervous about her teaching skills but Harry knew she would be a wonderful teacher. He was confident she'll do a great job today, she just needed to get more confidence and he was sure she'll be in a better state tonight. He smiled realizing she had not touched her plate yet. Man was she nervous.  
  
"Uhm, Mione? I thought you had a prefects meeting first thing this morning." He said.  
  
"Yes I do, why?" asked Hermione slowly going back to reality.  
  
"Well you might want to eat your breakfast very quick otherwise you're going to be late, you at what time it is." Harry answered amused.  
  
"Oh my," said Hermione quickly drinking her pumpkin juice and eating a piece of English muffin. "Gotta go, I'll see you around at lunch," said a very late Hermione walking quickly towards her office.  
  
As she arrived there she saw four students with a "p" badge pinned on their robes waiting for her.  
  
"I'm here, let's get started," Hermione said opening the door leading to her office. She sat on her chair and summoned enough chairs for the four students that had already been here.  
  
"Hello to you all," she started, "As you know I'm the new head of Gryffindor and I wanted to have a talk with you first thing this morning about your prefects duties. First of all, I'd like you to introduce yourselves so that I can know you better since we'll have to work together during this year."  
  
One of the four prefects started. "Hello Professor Granger, I'm Emily McCloud and I'm a seventh year. I've been a prefect since my fifth year and I'm taking Advanced Charms with you this year."  
  
Hermione smiled at her and looked at the next student.  
  
"I'm Cassandra Wagner and I'm a sixth year." said the blond girl. Hermione smiled at her too and looked at the boy next to Cassandra.  
  
"I'm Hector Blackburn and I'm a seventh year. I'm not taking Advanced Charms though," he said looking at Emily that blushed.  
  
"It's all right," answered an amused Hermione, "It's both ok to take it or not in fact," she added. She then turned to the last boy "How about you?" she asked.  
  
"I'm Luke Larsen and I'm a sixth year." He simply stated.  
  
"All right, now that I know you better I wanted to ask you if you have any questions about this year and your prefects duties, and then I also wanted to ask you if you have any advice about who I should trust enough to make fifth year prefects." said Hermione.  
  
The four students looked at her as if she had said something insane.  
  
"Did I say something wrong?" asked an amused Hermione.  
  
"Well," carefully started Emily, "It's the first time we're asked that in fact, it's pretty strange."  
  
"Well I'll tell you what, you can have the day to think about it and then you can drop me a parchment tonight with some names on it or not, it's up to you. I really think that if you've been appointed prefects, you can be trusted about this matter. If this can make you feel better though I'll be the one to take the final decision, I won't tell which name you gave me either. Now you better head to you classes if you don't want to be late." said Hermione.  
  
The four students exited her office and headed towards the class where they belonged. Hermione took a deep breath, gathered her belongings and head to the Charms classroom. She entered an empty room for she was very early and she settled her things on the teacher's desk; HER desk, as a matter of fact. She sat on the chair and inhaled deeply desperately trying to make the nervousness to get out of her body. Soon the first years arrived and settled in the classroom. Hermione had a lot of curious pairs of eyes looking at her, waiting for her to initiate the lesson. She took a deep breath and stood up bravely, facing her students.  
  
"Welcome to your first charm lesson. I am Professor Granger and I'll be your charm teacher this year. Now I would like you to take your books and prepare your wands, we're going to go through one of the basic charm any first year should know. Please read the first chapter of the book about the Wingardium Leviosa spell and then ask me questions if you're not sure about anything about it, then we'll be practising." She firmly but gently stated.  
  
The students opened their books and began to read. Soon enough a young boy raised his hand.  
  
"Yes?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Professor, I've already read that chapter, do I need to read it again?" asked the young boy.  
  
"Do you have any questions about it? Anything you did not understand?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I think I might be able to practice it." stated the boy very confident.  
  
"Well we shall see that later then, you're classmates are still reading, maybe you could just review it a little bit and then you'll be able to assist me in my demonstration before you can start practising it yourselves." offered Hermione.  
  
"Yes Professor." Answered the boy, pleased to know he would assist her for the demonstration.  
  
In a matter of minutes, all the eyes of her students were back on her and Hermione took it they had all finished their reading. She stood up and gestured towards the boy that had agreed in helping her to come closer to her desk. A feather appeared and she questioned the boy.  
  
"Now what are exactly the moves I'm supposed to do to make it levitate?"  
  
The boy showed her and truth been told, she was pretty impressed about his accurate answer.  
  
"She then made the correct move and stated 'Wingardium Leviosa'" pointing her wand to the feather. And as expected, the feather slowly but surely started to move and it rose in the classroom. The muggle born were looking at the feather very impressed, the others were not that impressed. They were eager to try it.  
  
"Any questions?" asked Hermione to her class."  
  
A girl wearing Slytherin robed raised her hand. "Yes?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Is it true that you're a muggle born?" asked the girl.  
  
That took Hermione aback, it had nothing to do with the lesson she was currently giving and she was wondering why the girl was asking her such a thing. She then realized that all of her students were looking at her with a great expectation over their faces.  
  
"Well, I don't see a link with my lesson but yes I am. Now any other questions?" she asked to her class.  
  
As no one seemed to have any questions, she moved her wands towards the students' desks and feathers appeared on each of it. The end of the first-years lesson was dedicated to practice. At the end of the lesson, Hermione asked them a small essay on the Wingardium Leviosa spell and she especially asked them to practice it over their parchments. She then settled back her things waiting for her seventh-years. She was quite happy about her first class even if she still was wondering about the question the girl asked her, what did it have to do with anything?   
  
She wondered how Harry was doing right now. She was quite sure he was having a very good time, giving great lessons. He was a tremendous Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, the best she had in fact. She was very proud of him. She was taken from her reveries when the seventh-years arrived. The nervousness was back. Teaching basic spells to first-years was a thing, but teaching advanced charms to seventh-years was another thing. She saw Emily McCloud and smiled at her. Soon, all of the seventh-years were sitting at their desk.   
  
Then again she stood up and gave her little speech about welcoming them in her class and telling them how important advanced charms were going to be in their N.E.W.T.S. She announced her class that she had decided to test them on their knowledge about charms and her decision wasn't that popular amongst the students. Nevertheless they all participated in the test.  
  
It was not a paper to hand her back at the end of the period nor was it questions she was asking expecting the right answer. She instead had created a sort of game from the end of the class to her desk. Students were supposed to go from point A to point B using spells they should know. The spells they needed to use were quite difficult in fact but they were requisites seventh-year students needed to know if they wanted to pass they advanced charms N.E.W.T.S. Amongst the spells Hermione was expecting from her students were the Accio spell, the pushing spell, and the fire protection spell.  
  
She was wondering if her students were going to like it and she was surprised to realize they were having fun. She was in fact quite pleased as she saw that most of them had no major problem succeeded in her test. As the period ended Hermione congratulated them and let them go for lunch without any assignments since she was going to see them again after the lunch break. She was quite pleased with herself and she began to gather her belongings when she heard a conversation between two students as the classroom door had not been closed.  
  
"I swear if my mother hears that a mudblood is teaching us, she'll transfer me straight away to Durmstrang." said a girl voice Hermione recognized as the first-year that asked her a question in her first lesson.  
  
"She seems to know her stuff though." answered another voice.  
  
"Hey, are you a real Slytherin or what? She's a mudblood, that's the point; good or not in teaching, she's not a pure blood and this is not acceptable." shouted the first voice.  
  
"Hellooooo, get over your pure blood stuff, Voldemort's years are over!" snapped the second voice.  
  
"The Dark Lord might be gone but there still are some pure blood families that are thinking Hogwarts isn't run as it should!" said the first girl.  
  
"Whatever." answered the other before she left.  
  
The whole dialogue made Hermione felt very bad. So, after all these years, even with Voldemort's death, some people were still debating over the pure-blood issue. It was the first time someone was putting her teaching skills in the line because of her legacy. What had the fact she was muggle-born to do with her having a right to teach in Hogwarts?  
  
----------------------------  
  
Harry had been waiting for Hermione for a good couple of minutes when he saw her entering the Great Hall. He immediately understood something happened when he saw her face. As Hermione sat next to him he could not help but question her.  
  
"What happened? Something during your class went bad?" he gently asked.  
  
"And to think I thought you were confident in my teaching skills!" she rudely snapped.  
  
"I've never said I didn't trust your teaching skills! I was asking you about your day" said Harry looking at her, she was obviously angry at something. "What's the matter?" he asked again.  
  
"Nothing's the matter." answered a much suborned Hermione.  
  
"I know you better than anybody," insisted Harry, "I know something happened.  
  
"Now listen to me Harry Potter, you don't know me that well right?" started an angry Hermione, "Otherwise you'll know that I ..." she stopped right there afraid she had said too much.  
  
"Otherwise I'd know what?" asked Harry whose temper was rising as well.  
  
"Nothing." answered Hermione. She sighed at the thought she had just nearly tell him that if he had really known her that well he would have realized she was in love with him year ago. She took a bite of the food that had appeared in her plate and then she looked at him again.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry. Classes were good. It's just that I've heard two students talking about me. There were saying things like I shouldn't be teaching here since I'm a muggle-born." confessed Hermione.  
  
"Total nonsense." answered Harry. "Now look at me," he said taking her chin in his right hand, "Whatever they might think about your origins, it will take a couple of lessons before they realize what a tremendous teacher you are. Trust me on that".  
  
Hermione was over the moon. She was not even thinking about that rude comment the Slytherin girl had made. She smiled at Harry.  
  
"You're the best of friends, you know that right?" she told him.  
  
"Yeah I know," he teased.  
  
"I'm sorry I snapped on you," she apologized.  
  
"No problem, I understand. Oh, remember I need to talk to you tonight ok?" he said.  
  
"Ok." Hermione answered.  
  
They finished their lunch and headed back to their afternoon classes. Hermione realized that she didn't even have asked Harry about his morning classes. Though she knew how it surely had been; boys asking him questions about defeating Voldemort and girls head over heels bout him. Not that she couldn't understand the Hogwarts girls since she was a victim of the Potter charm as well.  
She wondered why he was that discreet about their meeting tonight though. He had just asked her some time to talk, not even telling her why. She was really starting to feel curious about this meeting.  
  
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Tadam!!! That's all folks. Please read and review!


	13. Interesting conversations

Okay you guys here's the next chapter!  
  
In this chapter I had fun with finding names for the students. I noticed JKR seems to get a lot of them from Greek mythology and as I'm a huge fan of Greek mythology, well I just did the same :p  
  
Oh, also, there's a tiny reference to an episode of "The X-Files" that I couldn't avoid myself to write during the talking scene between Harry and Hermione at the end of the chapter. The episode I'm referring to is called "Arcadia". I absolutely LOVE this episode :p Mulder and Scully are going undercover pretending to be husband and wife and it's so much fun!  
  
I can't believe I might get 100 reviews soon! I've never had 100 reviews! Teehee!  
  
**Pia O'Leary:** you did it again!! hands the grand prize for "you made may day with your review" for chapter 12 to Pia. You just rock!  
  
**as100:** Oh trust me, they'll be together ... but let me have some fun with them before :p Thanks for your review!!  
  
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Back to the story now!!!

* * *

As soon as the lesson was finished with her seventh year class, Hermione began to gather her belongings and was going to exit the classroom when Emily McCloud handed her a parchment with two names on it.  
  
"Here Professor, I put the names of the students I think would made good prefects for the fifth year." she said.  
  
"Thank you very much Emily, I'm glad you thought my idea was good." said Hermione smiling at her student.  
  
As Emily wasn't moving, Hermione looked at her wondering if the girl had something else to ask her. Emily seemed to gather all of her courage and she looked up at Hermione.  
  
"Professor, I was wondering, about the Head Girl and Head Boy nomination, do you know anything? I mean we used to have the names before the back to school day." She shyly asked.  
  
"Yes I know that," started Hermione, "I was Head Girl on my seventh year and I received the letter announcing it at the end of August. It's just that since there are new teachers this year, Headmistress McGonagall thought it would be better to let us know the seventh years better before making our choices. But we're having a meeting tonight about it in fact. I guess the names will be announced tonight during dinner." Hermione answered.  
  
"Oh great!" exclaimed the girl very excited about the news. Then she blushed realizing what it implied. She deeply wanted the Head Girl badge, she had worked on it since her first year being appointed prefect on her fifth year and working hard on her grades in the same time.  
  
"Wanting to be Head Girl is nothing to be ashamed of," Hermione gently reassured Emily. "It's a very great honour but it's also a very dedicating task. You'll have more duties than being just a prefect you know. It might be tricky as you'll have your N.E.W.T.S. at the end of the year." She continued.  
  
"I'm organized Professor, I'm sure I'll handle it." Emily told her.  
  
"Ok ,I have to go to the meeting now. I'll see you later." said Hermione exiting the classroom to go to Headmistress McGonagall's office.  
  
Hermione was quite happy about her first day as a teacher. If you put aside the conversation she heard in the morning, she thought she really had made a good job. That was not bothering her that much now in fact. Harry had reassured her and then giving a good lesson and having a good time at it with her advanced-charms seventh-years was what she needed to get back all of her confidence. She quickly went to her office and was happy to find other parchments with some names on it. That would add up to the list she had started to make in her head. She then headed to the Headmistress's office to meet with the other teachers.  
  
As she arrived around McGonagall's office, Hermione saw Peeves that was leaning over some stair cases as if checking on something to be sure he could prepare a good prank. Hermione smiled at it and quickly looked around to check if any students or other professors were around. She then took out her wand from one of her pockets and summoned a glass of ice cold water from the kitchens. She then took it and emptied it on the poltergeist.  
  
"Iiiiiiiih" shouted Peeves.  
  
"Serves you right Peeves, I told you I'll get back to you for the other night! I hope that'll teach you a good lesson!" Hermione said laughing.  
  
"My my my, what have we here? I though such a behaviour was a standard for a student, but a teacher? I'm speechless ..." said a cold voice behind her.  
  
Hermione sighed knowing very well whose voice it was. She was sure no one was around a few minutes ago. That was such a bad luck ...  
  
"Professor Snape," she said turning back to face him.  
  
"I see some things never change." he coldly state.  
  
"You're right on it, some things never change," she stated, "Why do you feel obliged to act like that again with me? I'm not your student anymore, and I thought I'll ear a minimum of respect from you seeing we're having the same position now." she firmly stated.  
  
"That's where you're very mistaken," he said moving over to McGonagall's office.  
  
Hermione stayed there speechless. What was that all about? Why was he feeling obliged to go on with the behaviour he had with her during her whole Hogwarts years? She had thought at the beginning that it was because he was the Slytherins Head of House and that she was a Gryffindor. But then she had simply assumed it was just because she was close to Harry. His pure hatred for Harry was so deep that he was just extending it a little bit to Harry's friends.  
  
"Git" she muttered under her breath.  
  
"Who's a git?" asked a voice.  
  
"Would you guys please stop arriving in my back and startle me to death each time I'm talking to myself?" Hermione asked turning to face Harry.  
  
"What?" he asked amused.  
  
"I was giving a good lesson to Peeves about the other night when I burned my hands because of him and Snape arrived and ... well, he acted like Snape, there's nothing more to say." said Hermione.  
  
"Oh I understand." Harry answered. "So do you have any name to propose for Head Girl and Boy?" he asked.  
  
"Yep I have a few names, how about you?" she asked.  
  
"Well I didn't have any seven years today so I don't really have any kind of proposition to make. I guess I'll just study the names you'll give." he said.  
  
"Sounds logic," Hermione told him. "Ok let's go we're going to be late if we continue to talk in this hallway.  
  
They entered the office and sat on comfortable chairs. There even was a tray with some tea and some biscuits on it. That reminded Harry about the tea Professor Umbridge had tried to make him drink with the veritaserum in it. That wasn't a good memory at all.  
  
"I believe we're all here," stated Headmistress McGonagall meaning the meeting was starting. "So first of all, I think we should hear the names of the persons you feel would be trustworthy enough to be made Head Boy and Girl. How about you Severus?" she asked.  
  
"I was thinking about Eris Deprofundis from Slytherin for Head Girl and Marcus Gilman from Ravenclaw for Head Boy." he said.  
  
As Headmistress McGonagall was listening to the other teachers, Hermione and Harry were looking at Snape as if he had gone insane. Did he say what they think they heard him saying? He proposed a Ravenclaw student for Head Boy?? Not a Slytherin? What did they do to Professor Snape, Was he a clone or something?  
  
Soon it was Harry's turn to give his propositions. He quickly explained that he did not know the seventh years good enough to give names but that he was ready to study the propositions. Then it was Hermione's turn and she proposed Emily McCloud from Gryffindor and Marcus Gilman from Ravenclaw.  
  
There was not a lot of thinking to do about the Head Boy, Marcus Gilman had a majority of votes. About the Head Girl it was more difficult though, since there was a tight between Emily and Eris. Harry was asked his thought on it and it was difficult for him to answer. On the one hand he did not know the two girls and on the other hand he was trusting Hermione's choice but he had to act as a teacher, meaning he needed to make his choice according to the girls' skills and not according to his girl's point of view. Wait a minute here, had he just thought of Hermione as HIS girl? What's wrong with him? Best friend, the word is 'best friend'!  
  
As the teachers were expectantly looking at him for his choice on the matter, Harry was looking for a way to judge the two girls. Since he did not know any one of them he could not really answer to that question.  
  
"I don't know them," he finally answered, "I don't think I can make a real good choice without knowing them." He then continued, "Let's see, their academic grades are very good although Miss McCloud seems to be a little bit ahead of Miss Deprofundis." He said before being rudely interrupted by Professor Snape.  
  
"But Miss Deprofundis is also the Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team!" he said as if trying to get a point, "She can't be the best at everything."  
  
"Don't you think being Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and being Head Girl won't be way too much for her to bear?" asked McGonagall.  
  
The reaction of Professor Snape was quite amusing in fact. Hermione was finding it difficult not to smile at it. He has just thought he had made a good point and suddenly his point was becoming part of the negative list about the student he wanting to be made Head Girl.  
  
"Well we really need to make a decision here," stated the Headmistress, "I suggest we make another vote here. So who thinks Emily McCloud would make a good Head Girl?" she enquired.  
  
It was all that was needed to appoint Emily as the new Hogwarts Head Girl. A majority of professors voted for her, Hermione, Harry and Neville included. Snape looked at them in an angry way and told everybody good bye before leaving the office. All the teachers were now leaving except Hermione that had to give the Headmistress the names of the two fifth year Gryffindor new prefects. When she exited the office, Harry was waiting for her.  
  
"Do you have a moment?" he asked.  
  
"Well I was planning on getting my lessons for tomorrow ready in fact." She answered, "I thought we agreed in meeting after dinner?" she asked.  
  
"Well it's ok with me of course. I'll go prepare my lessons as well I guess; I'll see you at dinner." He said before heading towards his office.  
  
Hermione then made her way to her own office mentally kicking herself for her lack of tact and for not having asked him what was so important. As she arrived close to the Gryffindor's Tower, she made a wave with her wand and a parchment immediately appeared on the Gryffindor's notice board stating the following:  
  
"Congratulations to the new Gryffindor's prefects: Alicia Santorina and Dean Jones. Our biggest congratulation to Emily McCloud, the new Hogwarts Head Girl!!"  
  
Hermione knew it would only be a matter of seconds until the news would spread around the whole Gryffindor Tower and that the day after, the whole school would know. She was going to resume her walk to her office when she heard someone calling her.  
  
"Professor!" called Emily. "I was wondering about the meeting, do you have the names?" she asked.  
  
"I suggest you go and check on the note board," said a very smiling Hermione.  
  
"Emily!!" shouted a girl exiting the Gryffindor Tower, "Congratulations! I knew you'd do it!" said the girl hugging Emily.  
  
"You're kidding me right?" asked Emily as if not believing her friend. She then looked at Hermione as if asking her a confirmation.  
  
"Well I think you really should go and check yourself," started Hermione, "But I do believe that congratulations are indeed due." She mischievously finished.  
  
"Oh my god I'm Head Girl!" said Emily "I have to owl my mom!" she exclaimed. Then she started to run towards the tower where the Hogwarts' owls were and suddenly turned around to go to Hermione and hug her.  
  
"Thank you Professor, I know you did help me here." And then she left to send her letter.  
  
Hermione smiled as she remembered her own reaction when she had received her letter. She had been so thrilled. Her parents had been so proud of her at the time. She wondered what it would be to have a daughter and seeing her getting a letter accepting her to Hogwarts, becoming a prefect and becoming Head Girl of Hogwarts. Then she bitterly smiled. What are you thinking of? Having a daughter? You're not even able to get the man you love!  
  
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When she arrived at her office, she opened the door that the students had used this morning to then access her apartment from another door inside of her office. She needed to relax a little bit before getting her work on her lessons done. She lied down on her bed and started to relive her day as she was used to do every evening. Except the incident about the Slytherins girls this morning it was pretty good. Anyway she couldn't do anything about it, the only think the girl was having against her was not being pure-blood. Nothing could be done to change that.  
  
Then her mind focused on the conversation she had the day before with Ron. Was she really in denial? She needed to analyse her feelings towards Harry. She had told Ron she was in love with Harry. But was it to make him stop to tease her, or was it really true. She sighed. Who was she kidding? Of course she was in love with him. But things were very nice that way, he was her best friend and they were perfectly fine like that. Why would she take the right to screw it all? Then, he had never showed the slightest romantic interest in her. Never took her, all alone, on a date. No, definitely, things were way better as they currently were. Nothing needed to be changed. As hard as it was to accept and deal with. But hey, she had dealt with it for years. She was very good at that. It all started in fifth year when he dated Cho. She couldn't understand what it was she was feeling each time he was talking about Cho and asking advice. She realized she was in love with him the moment she told him that of course he was a good kisser. She was still wondering how she had been able to get out of the whole situation without him to realize it all.  
She then stood up and went back to her office to prepare her classes for the day after. She was so immersed in her work that she did not realized it was dinner time until her stomach made the usual noise it is supposed to do when it had to be fed. She closed her books and gathered her parchments and finally made her way to the Great Hall.  
  
She was the only one missing at the staff table. The headmistress was waiting for her to make the official announcement about the Head Boy and Girl.  
  
She stood up and the entire Great Hall felt silent, eager to know the news.  
  
"I have an announcement to make," she started. "Our new Head Girl and Boy had been chosen tonight. I am very pleased to congratulate Emily McCloud from Gryffindor and Marcus Gilman from Ravenclaw. If you two could please stand up so that everyone can see you." She said. "Congratulations to you two."  
  
Then she sat back on her chair and started to eat her dinner.  
  
Hermione was sitting between Harry and Ginny and she was talking with Ginny about her first day. Neville was advising her about some particular points of discipline that might help her and Harry was listening.  
  
As soon as she was done with her dinner, Harry stood up and asked her where they could have the talk he had been asking her since the morning. Ginny was intently listening to their little chat grinning broadly.  
  
"WOW so you're already on a 'your place or mine' basis?" she teased.  
  
"Oh shut up Ginny," laughed Hermione hoping she was not blushing like made. Then she proposed to Harry to come to her place and they made their way to her apartment not without Hermione whispering to Ginny that she'll get back to her for this one as she passed close to her.  
  
As they were approaching her apartment, she began to panic. She had not changed the password. Oh man I'm so dead! she was thinking. She was quickly thinking about ways to say the password to let Lady Fiona to understand she was saying it and to avoid at the same time Harry to understand what it was all about.  
  
"Good evening Lady Fiona," she started.  
  
"Good evening Hermione, password?" she required.  
  
"Uhm, this is Harry Potter," she introduced desperately hoping the portrait lady had understood her hint.  
  
"Good evening to you too Mister Potter," answered the portrait without moving at all.  
  
Oh come on now, don't do that to me mentally begged Hermione.  
  
"You know, THE Harry Potter," she insisted.  
  
"Oh I see," said Lady Fiona, finally getting the hint and opening the door.  
  
Harry didn't say a thing but was having a smirk on his face his father would not have denied at his time of glory with the Marauders. So she gave my name as her password he mused. I wonder why ...  
  
Hermione at the same time was feeling relieved and was not aware of the realization that was slowly taking place in Harry's mind. She gestured a spell so that the house elves could prepare them some tea and biscuits and then she waved her wand towards the fireplace so that a nice fire could start by itself.  
  
Then she sat on the sofa and invited Harry to join her.  
  
"So now tell me, what is this all about?" she asked.  
  
"The Sorting Hat's warning" he answered immediately.  
  
"Oh," she said slightly disappointed. And to think she had imagined him pouring his heart out to her. It would have been so laughable if it wasn't so sad.  
  
"So, I guess you're wondering who this old enemy of yours can be." She said. "Let see, the obvious thing to think about who be Voldemort, but he's dead. The Malfoys?" she enquired looking up at him.  
  
"Actually I was rather thinking of YOUR old enemies." He stated looking straight at her.  
  
"What do you mean? What enemy?" she asked not getting his point. "Now come on Harry, you perfectly now it's you the Sorting Hat was warning. The Brave Gryffindor having old enemies."  
  
"I'm not so sure, I've been thinking about it, most of those that I could consider as enemies are dead, or locked in Azkaban" he said. "They can't do anything about me. That's why I came up with the idea it was you the Sorting Hat wanted to warn."  
  
"Well," she started. "That seems kind of logical." She started before being interrupted by Harry.  
  
"It is logical," he said.  
  
"The only point being that I do not have any old enemy." She smartly pointed out.  
  
"Are you sure about it?" he asked. "Could be anybody as long as it can be considered as an enemy."  
  
"Well I've been thinking about it as well and really, except Bellatrix Lestrange's family, I don't really see someone that could be my enemy." She said.  
  
"Then we must do some researches about her family." He firmly stated. "I won't take this warning not seriously enough, last time he warned us was when Voldemort came back to full powers."  
  
"Thank you Harry," said Hermione taking his hand to emphase her thank you.  
  
"You're very welcome," he answered not moving his hand.  
  
And at this precise moment, the tea and biscuits prepared by the house elves appeared on the coffee table. Hermione silently cursed them for their lack of timing and prepared Harry's cup of tea.  
  
"Hot chocolate and now tea, aren't we in the play-house spirit," he teased her.  
  
"Ah ah, very smart," she laughed with him while wishing it could be true. "Ok so tell me about your first day." She asked him.  
  
"Well it wasn't that bad. I've quite captured the attention of all my students and," he stopped hearing Hermione's laugh at his comment. "What?" he asked.  
  
"Oh come on Harry, of course you captured your students' attention, to the boy you're the Brave-Boy-Who-Lived-Twice, to the girls you're the Cute- Boy-Who-Lived-Twice; There's no wonder how you captured their attention." She teased.  
  
"Oh so you think I'm cute then?" he told her dead serious.  
  
Hermione took her best 'best friend' voice and answered: "Of course I think you are cute, I might be only your best friend but I'm not blind."  
  
"Well that's nice to know." He started, then he looked at her as if discovering her for the first time, "You're not that bad yourself" he said very serious.  
  
Unfortunately for him, there was this little particular light he always had in his emerald eyes when he was joking.  
  
"I know you're lying!" Hermione said, "And I perfectly know I'm not that good, I'm closer to common or even ugly that to 'not that bad' to quote you," she said.  
  
"I believe that I've told you that once Hermione, but I do not think about you as ugly," he said.  
  
"Thank you Harry," she simply answered very touched by his comment.

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Tadam! That's all for now folks! I really hope you're going to like it! Please read and review!


	14. He shoots he scores

Ok guys … er … hides somewhere ashamed

I know I'm bad at updating but the last months had been crazy. Sorry about that! Here's an update for "Along Came Harry" and for those of you that are following and reading "And it all started", (a Lily/James story) an update will soon be made.

A huge thank you to each one of you that is reading and reviewing! You guys rock!

A special thought for London today. We're all with you guys!

After a couple of weeks, Hermione got used to her schedule and her students. She was glad she had such students and she felt lucky to be a member of the Hogwarts professor's team. Lucky and very proud. She was doing a great job and she was working with most of her friends. Well if you except Snape. She had once again seen him in the infirmary talking with Ginny and the Weasley girl had become as red as her hair. That got Hermione's attention. Surely Ginny was not involved with Snape in any way? Seeing how guilty the girl has looked like when Hermione saw her with Snape had decided Hermione on confronting Ginny about it all. She was currently looking for her and went to the infirmary. She really needed to talk to her! When she entered the infirmary, she quickly looked around to check that nobody else was there and she smiled as Ginny was greeting her.

"Hey Ginny, can I talk to you for a while?" Hermione asked sitting on one of the infirmary beds.

"Sure go ahead," answered Ginny "I'm sorting out those potions, I need to get rid of the oldest ones, I wanna make sure I'm not poisoning the students with out of date potions" she teased.

"Ok" started Hermione unsure about how to continue. "Well listen Gin, I know this is none of my business but I've been wondering what you're doing with Snape. I couldn't help but notice how uneasy you were each time I've spotted you with him. I'm worried Gin."

Ginny sighed at that but to Hermione's surprise she didn't seem angry and she was not blushing. "I needed to talk to you about it anyway. I just didn't know how to spill it in fact." The red-haired started. "First of all you have to promise not to tell anyone, because this is not my secret to share, ok? No even to Harry!" Ginny said.

"Nothing serious I hope." Hermione said. As Ginny reassured her, she promised to keep the secret so Ginny want on with her story.

"It4s not serious anymore but I still need your help. See I'm working with Snape on healing someone that had been cursed with the Imperius spell for years. Snape is working on the potion and Neville provides him most of the ingredients …" she was interrupted by Hermione's laughter.

"Sorry Gin, but I can't help laughing when I picture Neville working with Snape knowing how terrified he is by him." Said Hermione.

"Yes … poor Neville is still terrified by him but oddly enough, Snape seems to hold a new kind of respect for him now that he's working with him. Same for me by the way." Ginny mused.

"Well that must be pureblood privilege because he sure hasn't change a bit towards me. Anyway, tell me exactly what kind of help you need from me to help Draco's mother." Hermione asked

"Well all we … wait a minute, how do you know it's Draco's mother we're talking about?" Ginny asked surprised.

"Oh come on Gin 'Smartest Witch in Hogwarts' ain't a title you can get like that." Hermione teased.

"Right. So er, what I need from you is a charm to ease the potion taking. The potion works very well, it's very efficient but Narcissa goes through terrible pain while taking it and it's breaking Draco's heart to see her like that. He can't bear it anymore." Ginny stated.

"He can't bear it to the point to have to ask me for help?" Hermione asked.

"Look Hermione, I know he has not been nice to you during our Hogwarts years but he does not know it's going to be you. He's ready for anything as long as it helps his mother." Ginny said a little bit harshly.

"Don't worry Gin, I'll do research for a spell, when do you need it?" Hermione asked trying to ease the atmosphere.

"Tomorrow afternoon". Ginny answered happy that Hermione had implicitly accepted to help.

Ok so that'll leave me today to do my research that will be enough I hope."

"So you're going to resume your love story with the library then?" Ginny teased.

"Well given my current lack of love-life I guess I have no choice" Hermione joked as well.

"Come on 'Mione, you know you could if you only had the courage to speak to Harry." Ginny gently told her.

"I don't want to ruin anything with Harry Gin. He means too much to me. He's the best friend I have together with Ron. I don't know how I would cop if he would reject me. His friendship is too dear to me to lose it." Hermione simply stated.

"Mione, how do you know he'll reject you if you don't try?' proposed Ginny.

What the two girls didn't know though was that Harry was right on the other side of the door ready to enter the infirmary to ask a potion to Ginny when he heard the question Ginny asked to Hermione. Who the hell was this guy? He was dying to know so he did something he was not proud of at all but something that was the only possibility to get information. He silently cast an invisibility spell on him and stayed behind the door just to hear the end of the conversation.

"Oh come on Gin. I've stayed alone with him plenty of times and he never tried a move on me. That pretty much is clear enough to me to understand he has no romantic feelings towards me." Hermione said starting to feel angry.

"And how about you?" countered Ginny. "Have you tried something?"

"Are you bloody mad?" said a scandalized Hermione.

"Don't be old-fashioned Mione." Patronized Ginny.

"It's not being old-fashioned it's just that … it's like … arg ... ok call me old-fashioned if you want but it's up to the man to do the first move!" Hermione tried to justify.

"And what do you do if said man is thick and does not understand that you've just been waiting for him for years?" said Ginny trying to make her point.

"Well then I'm getting nuts, I over-analyze everything that said man can tell me, I over-analyze his every moves, and I end up being patronized by my best friends" Hermione conceded.

"Talk to him Mione, give him hints, that would be my only advice". Ginny said hugging Hermione.

"Thanks Gin. I'll see you tomorrow then.

Harry was still behind the door, too shocked to be moving. That certainly was worth doing something bad. He quickly moved from the door to leave enough space to let Hermione leave without being noticed and then he waited several minutes to be sure he could do the counter-spell to go back to normal. What the hell was that? Mione was in love with someone and she had not told him anything? Who the hell was the lucky guy HIS Hermione was in love with? As soon as he cast the counter-spell, he entered the infirmary to speak with Ginny.

"Hey Harry" she greeted him.

"Hi Ginny" he said thinking about a safe way to question her without acknowledging the fact that he had heard their conversation.

"Can I help you with something?" Ginny asked.

"Er, yes, I was looking for a potion against headache. I guess I've been working a little bit too hard lately." He lamely said.

"Sure" Ginny said looking at the potions she had on a shelf. "Here, have this one." She said giving him one tiny bottle full of a purple liquid. "Take one sip and in like 5 minutes it will be gone."

"Thanks Gin". Harry said desperately looking for a way to ask her questions about Hermione.

Ginny looked at him wondering why he was not leaving. "Can I help you with something else Harry?" she asked.

'Screw being tactful' Harry thought.

"Yes you can indeed. Listen Gin I've been there outside for a good five minutes and I've heard most of your conversation with Hermione." Harry said pointing his wand towards the door to lock it and protect it with a spell that provided them from being heard from outside.

Ginny paled at that scared that he might have heard the part about Draco's mother. He surely seemed irritated.

"What exactly did you hear?" she faintly asked.

"I've heard about your advices to Hermione about not being afraid of rejection and about not being old-fashioned." He simply stated.

"You did? Oh that's brilliant then! So what do you think then?" Ginny asked beaming.

Harry was lost at her reaction; it was not at all what he expected. "Er… what do you mean 'what do I think about it'?" he asked.

"Well what is your reaction about it?" Ginny tried.

"Well I want to know who this bloody guy is." He started and at Ginny's mocking reaction he tried to add other things in order to avoid her to jump to conclusions. "I want Mione to be happy and she needs the right guy. Not some guy but the perfect guy that will be able to take care of her and to protect her." He said.

At his words, Ginny burst into laughter.

"Glad you're finding this so funny" Harry sarcastically said.

I'm sorry Harry but you have to be the thickest man ever." Ginny said laughing.

"Ok You've lost me here" acknowledged a defeated Harry.

"Harry, I will not tell you who this guy is because Hermione asked me to keep it a secret and I value her trust." Ginny started. Seeing Harry's disappointment she continued "What I can tell you though is that it's a great guy, he'll be able to meet your requirements. The only problem is that he's rather thick in my opinion" she said grinning.

"Thanks Gin, this helps me so much." Harry cynically said.

"Harry just open your eyes." Ginny gently said.

"What do you mean 'open your eyes'? You mean I know this guy?" he asked suddenly feeling sick.

"Oh yeah, trust me, you know him pretty well." Ginny smiled.

Horror appeared on Harry's face. "It's not … it's not Ron right?" he asked alarmed.

"I know my brother's thickness is pretty legendary known now but our Mione found someone even thicker." Ginny laughed again.

"You won't tell me then?" Harry tried again.

"It's not my secret to tell Harry, I'm sorry". Ginny firmly but gently answered.

"Right. " he sighed. "Thanks for the potion Gin". He said before going out of the infirmary.

"You're welcome Harry". Ginny answered.

As soon as he got out of the infirmary, Harry rushed to his apartment towards a trunk in which he kept his most precious belongings. There he kept the Marauders 'Map, his invisibility cloak and the photo album Hagrid had offered him so many years ago. It always was a comfort to him to have a look at the pictures inside of it. There were pictures of his parents when they were still happy together, alive. He also had pictures of Sirius and one in particular that he deeply cherished. It had been a gift from Hermione the Christmas right after Sirius's death. It was a picture of Sirius and him at Grimmauld Place. He wished he could still have his parents and Sirius with him to talk about Hermione. Harry took the Map and his invisibility cloak and then said the spell that was giving life to the map.

"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good" grinned Harry pointing his wand towards the map.

He then examined the map looking for a dot labeled with Hermione's name. When he found it, he frowned as the usual green dot was now red. That was surprising. He should ask Remus about it. He then smiled when he found out about Hermione's whereabouts. He put on the invisibility cloak and left for the library. 'Honestly' he thought 'why bothering with the map, she's ALWAYS in the library.'

He waited a few minutes for a student to enter the library so that he could enter as well without being noticed. A door, opening by itself would certainly have given him.

He spotted Hermione in the restricted area and he smiled remembering that time when he came here to look for information under his cloak. He had nearly got caught by Filtch.  
Hermione was sitting in front of a huge pile of big, thick and dusty books and she had a look of concentration on her face clearly stating 'Don't you dare disturbing me!'. Harry wondered what she was working on and tried to have a look at the titles of the books but he could see them as he was on the other side of the table. Coming any closer would have been too dangerous. He stayed a few minutes looking at her and he wad glad he had his invisibility cloak otherwise he would have become the new topic of Hogwarts gossips. The DADA teacher, literally drooling whiles starting at the Charms teacher, now that would be a subject! He perfectly knew this was not an adult way of handling things but since he had been denied any kind of normal teenage years then he was going to have them now. Not convinced in the least by his pathetic excuse to stare like that at his best friend without her noticing it, he then decided to move as Hermione was showing no sign whatsoever that she was going to leave any time soon. He knew from experience that when she was this concentrated, nothing would make her move unless she was finished. He then moved towards the exit of the library and once again waited for a student to pass the door. Then he carefully looked for an isolated place and took off his cloak.

When he arrived in his apartment, he immediately went to pick up his firebolt on the balcony and flew towards the Quidditch pitch from there. Flying had always helped him to sort his thoughts out. He wondered if his father had gone through this kind of situation with his mother. He definitely needed to speak to Remus. After all, Remus was now the closest thing to a parent to him.

While Harry was flying outside, Hermione had found a spell that could work on Draco's mother. She took the book with her and made her way to her apartment in order to take a well deserved and long hot bath. Then she'll be practicing the wand movements and the spell pronunciation. She hoped it was going to work, otherwise she had other "restricted areas session" in perspective. She had never been put under an Imperius curse before and she wished she could have talked about it with Harry as she knew he was strong enough to fight and refuse its effects. But then, talking about it with him would be deceiving Ginny's trust. The only thing she knew for sure was that getting someone under the Imperius curse was enabling this person to order you to do anything they wanted.

Damn it, once again she was starting to feel guilty that she could not tell that to Harry. She positively hated keeping things from him. Even when it was in order to prepare him a surprise. When they had prepared a surprised birthday party for his 17th birthday she had felt guilty all along. She knew this feeling came from Harry's reaction when they kept the all Order of the Phoenix thing secret from him before Sirius's death. She couldn't wait to be able to talk about it to Harry. In the meantime her only option was to avoid him as much as possible, that way she won't have to lie.

While she was having those thoughts, Hermione had started to run her bath and had bewitched it to get massaging bubbles and a sweet scent of cinnamon. She spent a whole hour in her bath, relaxing as she had also cast a spell to keep the water warm. When she got out of it, she put on comfy muggle clothes: her favorite pair of jeans and a green sweater that had always reminded her of Harry's eyes. Then she magically asked the house-elves to bring her dinner here. That way she won't be seeing Harry at dinner in the Great Hall and she'll be able to work on the spell.

She stayed barefoot as she was in her own apartment and when she went back in her living-room she was pleased to see that no freaking lunatic door was there. She started a fire and sat on her cozy sofa getting the book with her. This book simply was brilliant and she was amazed that she had never been able to read it before. During her 7th year she had been granted an access to the restricted area as she was doing researches for the Order. But never had she found this book. She was kind of disappointed because it was so well documented that she could have found more effective spells to protect the Order's members. While she was flipping through the pages, she noticed a piece of parchment sticking out of the book. When she took it, she noticed that it was covered in notes about the three unforgivable curses. She started to read the notes, once again amazed by the quality and accuracy of the information it held. She was going to read what was on the back of the parchment when she heard a knock on her door. She stood up to go to open the door and she found Harry slightly worried.

"Hey Mione, are you ok? The house-elves told me you were not feeling that good so I came here to check on you. Is everything ok?" He sweetly asked.

'So much for avoiding him' thought Hermione.

"Well I had a slight headache and I had to finish this lesson I'm working on so …" she started. Harry had entered her apartment and was looking at the book.

"You're preparing a lesson on Dark Arts?" he asked surprised.

"Er … well yes, I was er … making researches on the three unforgivable curses and …" she tried to explain.

"Do you need any help on it?" Harry asked excited.

"Er well why not, we could do a class together about it, what do you think?" Hermione offered.

"I think it's one other of your brilliant ideas Mione." Harry answered smiling broadly.

"Thank you Harry." said Hermione cursing herself for she felt her cheeks getting all red.

"You're more than welcome Mione" answered Harry getting closer to her and stroking her cheek without even noticing it. Hermione was on the other hand very aware of his gesture and she was starting to feel weak on her knees.

As he let go of her cheek Harry looked at her straight into her chocolate eyes and asked her "Are you doing anything tomorrow Mione?"

"I've got something planned with Ginny" Hermione answered taking deep breaths and hoping he had not noticed anything on her reaction at his touch.

"Oh." Was all he was able to answer, unable to hide his disappointment.

'I should be done in the middle of the afternoon though" offered Hermione.

"Really? So could we go somewhere?" he asked hopefully.

"My, my" started Hermione desperately scolding herself to act as the grown-up she was "is that a date Mr. Potter?" she finally asked.

Now it was Harry's turn to blush like a fourteen years old. "Er, we could say that" he lamely said. DADA teacher 1, charms teacher 1 silently scored Hermione.

"I sorry Harry, I could not resist teasing you," apologized Hermione. "Date or not I'd be delighted to go with you."

"Yeah, right, er I feel kind of stupid here" said Harry.

"Well that makes two of us then" smiled Hermione trying to ease Harry's awkwardness. She didn't know what to think about his reaction. She honestly had no idea where this idea of asking him if it was a date had come from. His reaction could be interpreted in so many different ways. He could have been uneasy that she could think he was asking her on a date. Or he could have blushed because she had made the right guess maybe? Yeah right …

"So what are you doing with Ginny then?" Harry asked to change the subject.

"Oh, girls stuff" Hermione answered not daring to look at him, too scared that he might see she was lying.

"Ok then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" he said going towards the front door of Hermione's apartment.

"Yeah see you tomorrow Harry" she just said.

As Harry closed the door, he leaned on it and smiled broadly. 'He shoots he scores!' he mentally congratulated himself. Man, getting Hermione on a date with him was as difficult and as satisfying as winning a Quidditch game against the Slytherins. Maybe more in fact. Yeah definitely more.

He came back in his apartment and could stay still one minute. He was still grinning like mad and felt the need to share this news. He tried to reach Ron through the floo network but had no chance. Then he tried with Remus and he was more successful.

"Hey Moony" he said.

"Good evening Harry," Remus answered. "How are you doing?" he asked.

"Great, just great" Harry answered with his goofy grin still on his face.

Remus looked at him and laughed. "Now where have I already seen this bright goofy grin before? Oh I've got it. I remember a certain James Potter having such a grin when he finally got a date with a certain Lily Evans." Remus teased. "So I take it you've finally took a chance with Hermione and that you've been successful?" he asked.

The goofy grin disappeared. "How do you know?" asked Harry.

"Come on Harry, it is so obvious that you fancy each other that it's starting to be a little bit worrying that two intelligent grown-ups as Hermione and you never noticed before.

"Obvious? Well Hermione's certainly not making it obvious to me. Plus she's fancying another guy. I've heard her talk about him to Ginny." Harry said.

"Harry, Harry, Harry", Remus started in his best patronizing voice. "Did it occur to you that YOU might be this guy?" he asked.

That took Harry by surprise. He had not been expecting this at all. Then he remembered his own discussion with Ginny and her words came back in his head one by one.

'Open your eyes Harry" . "You know him pretty well" . "You're so thick!"

Harry then thought about Hermione's reaction when he had touched her cheek. As far as he remembered it was the first time she had blushed so much under his touch. Why was that? Could he be this lucky?

"I see the goofy grin is back so I take it you've figured it out" Remus teased.

"I …" started Harry. "Sorry Remus I must go, I've got the best of dates to get ready for tomorrow" Harry said getting his head out of the fire. He then popped it up again in the fire. "Hey Remus?" he asked.

"Yes?" Remus answered.

"Thanks!" Harry said.

"Anytime Harry, anytime." Remus laughed.

Ok that's it for today. I hope you liked this chapter! I worked extra hard on it!

Please review!


	15. Trying a new cure?

I don't know what kind of thing exists over apology but it would come handy for me right now. Why didn't I update sooner? I don't know. I totally lost control over this fanfiction. I've been SO disappointed in what happened in book 6 in terms of relationships … I've been wondering how I could possibly go on with a Harry/Hermione fic and even started reading Ron/Hermione fic, a thing that I couldn't do before. I do not intend to bash here, trust me, but I didn't really like how JKR handled the whole Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione ships. I hope book seven will be great though. So I get used to the Ron and Hermione ship and had even more difficulties to get back to my Harry/Hermione story. I had GREAT ideas before and I don't know what to do now. I guess I'm going to finish this fic sooner than it was planned and maybe I'll try a Ron/Hermione one, I don't know …So anyway enough babbles … On with the story! Please read and review!

I'm sorry, right now it's a small chapter but I'm still having difficulties writing the actual date … any idea is welcomed!

* * *

For the slightest of moment, Hermione felt like blushing like mad, getting butterflies in her stomach, jumping all over the place and celebrating like any teenager would do after getting a date with a hot boy. But she just smiled brightly and only allowed the butterflies.

She was really excited about her date with Harry and felt very curious about it. She was already wondering how she was going to dress and where they were going to go. Would he bring her to a muggle place? Or maybe to Hogsmeade? What were the students going to say? And what if they get caught by journalists?

She had a bitter memory of the articles that described her as a scarlet woman back in her fourth year; courtesy of Rita Skeeter.  
But even this thought couldn't alter Hermione's good mood about this date. She tried to calm herself by closing her eyes and taking deep breaths but couldn't avoid the come back full-speed of a huge smile on her face each time.

She wanted to talk to Ginny about her date. If someone could listen to her and reassure her that would be Ginny. But on the other hand wouldn't it be awkward to speak about it with her given the fact that she had dated him during her fifth year? Well Ginny had encouraged them to date, right? So she'll be thrilled about the news. Hermione was about to go and speak with Ginny and once again realized that would be reacting like a teenager and she was firm on the fact that she would handle the whole situation as an adult. Plus she needed her sleep given what she had to do the day after.

As she lied on her bed, Hermione rationalized her thoughts and concentrated on the task that what waiting for her the day after. She opened one book and tried to read a chapter that seemed to be developing a theory about the Imperius curse. When she realized she was reading the same paragraph over for the fourth time she gave up on it and put the book aside on her bed table and flicked her wand towards the lights to turn them off.

How would she have reacted if she had known that Harry had thrown away all kind of rationalism and indeed reacted like any teenage boy?

As soon as he finished his conversation with Remus, he started planning his date with Hermione. It had to be the best of dates! He could not screw things with her. It took him ages before getting enough nerves to ask her out. Hogsmeade was definitely out of the picture. It only reminded him memories of his teenage dates and he certainly didn't want to have such awkward dates.

Should he treat her to a muggle restaurant? Wouldn't that be a little too much for a first date? Or maybe a movie? Nah that would look like two high school students … Should they apparate away? Like in Paris? Or Rome maybe? Well that would be romantic but could he handle being romantic with Hermione on their first date? What if she laughs at him?

Well maybe those ideas weren't so bad after all but not right now. London would be perfect for their first date. They could have dinner in a little restaurant and then just walk in the streets, maybe try the London Eye and see the city from a higher perspective? Yeah that could definitely work! Now he just had to find a good restaurant and make reservations. Too bad famous Harry Potter wasn't that famous in the muggle world … That, for once, would have been more than welcome!

He finally surrendered to sleep as soon as his head touched his pillow.

As she arrived in Ginny's infirmary, Hermione wasn't very confident. She actually wanted to do her best at preparing this the night before but the news of her date with Harry ruined any kind of concentration. Anyway she was sure one session wouldn't be enough but considering it was Malfoy's family she had to deal with she really wanted to do her best in order to avoid any kind of insulting remark regarding her Muggle heritage.

When she entered the infirmary though she immediately saw Professor Snape there who was talking to Ginny. As soon as they saw her they stopped talking as if being interrupted and Ginny smiled at her as if trying to encourage her.

"Professor Snape, Ginny", Hermione said.

"Miss Granger" Snape answered.

"Professor Granger", Ginny said therefore correcting Snape.

"Are we ready to go?" asked Hermione.

"Yes we are. We just need to go to Hogsmeade and take a portkey to the Malfoys." Snape told her as they left the room.

"So what kind of cure do you think you're going to use?" a curious Snape asked Hermione. "Because I've tried different kind of potions, hell I even stuffed a beozar in her throat and nothing worked so far."

"Well then maybe magic isn't the solution." Hermione calmly said.

"What do you mean? You're not going to use some kind of muggle medicine on her are you?" Snape furiously said as if feeling insulted. "If magic doesn't work then nothing will work. Do I need to remind you that it's because of magic that she's in this state? She's dealing enough with muggles!" He continued.

"Actually Severus, there is a new branch in the healer studies that is studying muggle remedies and it's fascinating." Ginny interrupted him. "Some healers are working with muggle born students and some muggle born healer are working on very interesting theories at the moment."

"Well whatever I don't care, as long as it works." Snape said clearly ending the conversation.

That surprised Hermione, such care wasn't like Snape at all, and she couldn't remember him caring about anyone that much before. Could it mean something? He had always favoured Draco but Hermione had always assumed it was because he was a Slytherin. Could strict, cold Professor Snape feel something for Draco's mother? As Hermione was lost in her thoughts she was just following them, walking just behind Ginny. She didn't really see where they were going and was surprised as she recognised the very first houses of Hogsmeade.

They directly made there way to the Shrieking Shack. Hermione was following them as she didn't really know where they were supposed to go. She became suspicious when she realized they were heading towards a very isolated area and seemed to try and hide behind trees. Surely Ginny would be careful and sure about what was going to happen. Hermione couldn't help but feel suspicious about Snape. After all that he did to them all during the war. Even if in the end he was on their side.

Ginny had been anxious about Hermione coming to the Malfoys' residence but her anguish was nothing compared to what Hermione was feeling. She knew the spell she had found wasn't the one she needed and she hated not having found a better cure. She knew she wasn't allowed to fail since Snape would blame her. Hermione knew she had another option but she was certain this one wouldn't be welcomed. She wanted to try a muggle therapy based on movements made in the water. She had seen a friend of hers make this therapy after a car accident and it had worked pretty well especially on her arm that was making her suffer a lot. Convincing such pure-blood lovers that a muggle therapy might be the key to their problem wouldn't be a piece of cake.

They had managed to find a portkey that was supposed to make them arrive right in front of the Malfoys Manor. Hermione was very curious about it because she had heard it was magnificent and huge. On the other hand, after Lucius's death, their family wasn't so wealthy any more. Taking care of such a house would require a lot of money and a lot of people.

When they arrived though, anything Hermione had heard about it did not seem to do it justice. It looked like a castle; it had towers and even a bridge to enter in a huge court. There were huge trees tracing a line guiding visitors to the bridge and the entrance of the property was guarded by huge grills. Hermione's eyes were wide opened and she wasn't missing a piece of what she was seeing. Ginny took her hand to guide her and this gesture made her come back to reality. She followed her and Snape towards the bridge and when they were on the verge of walking on it they suddenly made a turn on their left and followed another path going at the back of the manor. Hermione was dying to ask questions to Ginny, the first one being how on earth did they manage to keep it so clean and well ordered but when she entered within the walls; she realized it only was a facade. It reminded her the spell that was cast on Hogwarts making muggles only seeing a nice ruin of a once beautiful castle.

"Over here" stated Ginny making her way inside the now nearly empty house. Hermione was following her watching the empty walls, the colours on it showing traces of paintings that had once been hung there. She saw raw soils when she was sure they were once covered in deep and comfortable carpets. Furniture was rare and the few Hermione saw was broken. Finally they arrived in a bedroom where Draco and his mother were waiting for them.

She had once seen Narcissa Malfoy in Hogsmeade and she remembered a very proud and snobbish person. Very elegant, always wearing beautiful and expensive clothes, showing off her shinning diamonds and speaking very loudly so that people were looking at her. Now Narcissa was lying in her bed, very pale, her hair all over the pillows, not very clean. She had lost a lot of weight and she had dark circles around her eyes as if she hadn't had a good sleep for weeks. Draco wasn't better. He looked exhausted and very concerned about his mother. Hermione was expecting a negative reaction from him but was very surprised when he thanked her for her help. While Ginny and Snape were getting the potion ready using Neville's instructions on a particular spice, Draco explained to Hermione what his mother was getting through. It seemed to Hermione that proposing the muggle option wouldn't be that bad after all. Once the potion was ready Ginny approached it closer to Narcissa and her reaction was immediate. She started to tightly close her mouth as a child would do and refused to open her lips to drink it. Draco tried to convince her and told her Hermione was here to ease her and that she had found something to avoid the pain. Narcissa looked at her as if trying to read her mind to check whether it was true or not and she seemed to think Hermione could help her as she slightly opened her mouth to sip the potion.

Hermione lost no time in casting the spell. As she expected it wasn't a real success but to the others it seemed to be a real improvement and Hermione realized they all were grateful for her help. Once Narcissa had recovered from the potion she thanked her. That was really something new for Hermione. She really wasn't expecting it.

"Thank you Hermione" said Draco.

Hermione was taken aback by his words. She couldn't remember a time when Draco had been that nice to her. As Narcissa fall back to sleep, they exited her bedroom and headed to another room were there was enough furniture for them to sit.

"I'm glad this spell worked" Hermione started. "Of course I knew it wouldn't be strong enough to avoid any pain at all. I'm sure I can find something else." She continued trying to find a way to introduce her muggle expertise.

"She's been suffering much more than that Hermione, today was the first time I didn't hear her cry in pain and for that I must be thankful". Draco told her.

"Wow twice in the same 5 minutes" mused Hermione, "Draco must be really worried."

Hermione looked at Ginny as if asking her some kind of permission and then she looked at Snape that looked back straight at her as if daring her to go on with her idea.

"Draco," she started, "There's something else we could try. It's a muggle thing, mind you, it might be longer, but the results are great."

Draco looked at her and sighed. "I don't care what kind of remedy it might be, as long as she's not suffering anymore."

Then taking this as permission, Hermione went on explaining about traumatized muggles were making exercises in the water to get better.


End file.
